There is perhaps nothing more American than a parade down Main Street, complete with Uncle Sam, sweets for the children, and plenty of patriotism. But in the village of Belgium, Wisconsin, the star-spangled flag flies alongside Luxembourg’s red lion and national flag. Luxembourgish symbols are everywhere: on vehicles, in the parade, and even represented in person by Luc Decker, Luxembourg’s Consul General in New York, who rode along in a decorated car.
Decker expressed his delight at joining the festivities, emphasising that it is a truly unique experience to see people coming here from all over America, all with some connection to Wisconsin.
At the end of the festivities, everyone gathered for a barbecue featuring a Luxembourgish favourite – 'Träipen', or blood sausage – washed down with Luxembourgish beer. The highlight for many was the 'Träipen' eating contest, a popular staple of the event. Among the crowd was John Jentges, aged 94, one of the few remaining fluent speakers of Luxembourgish. He recalled that, at the very first Luxembourg Fest 40 years ago, the language was far more commonly heard.
Jentges regrets that most of his Luxembourgish friends have passed away. He explains that he always spoke Luxembourgish with his father and German with his mother, who was from Germany, which is why English was never spoken in his home.
The enthusiasm for Luxembourg’s heritage is striking. Travis Gross of the Luxembourg American Cultural Society explains that the heritage of the town's residents means a great deal to them. They know their family histories, they know the names of the villages in Luxembourg where their ancestors came from, and they celebrate all of it. He emphasises that you really get the sense that they want to keep these traditions alive.
