Balmoral International Group Luxembourg History Blog Post

In this typical winemaking town on the Luxembourg “Route du Vin” (“Wine Road”), the former winemaker’s houses “A Possen” and “Muedelshaus” have been reconverted into a Wine and Folklore Museum.

Burmerange

Burmerange is first recorded as “Boinbringas” in a document dated 842. Between 1659 and 1769 Burmerange and several surrounding villages were under French rule, as opposed to the rest of the country.

Burmerange owes its reputation mainly to the Luxembourgish poet Auguste Liesch, who in 1936 published a modern adaptation of Jean de la Fontaine’s famous fable of “The Town Rat and the Country Rat”. “Maus Ketty” tells the story of Ketty, or Kate, a country mouse who lives a simple life in a field in Burmerange. When Mim, her rich cousin from the city, comes to visit her, she dishes up a hearty meal but Mim derides the plainness of the food and praises the refinement of the cuisine in town. She decides to take Ketty back to town, where the two are to dine on a lavish meal. But with the food arrives tomcat Toni, or Tun, who tries to catch them. Ketty is so scared that she decides to return to her simple life in Burmerange instead of living the luxurious but dangerous life in the city.

Standing in the centre of Burmerange, a bronze statue by the Luxembourgish artist Will Lofy celebrates this famous fairy-tale character.

Elvange

Elvange is first recorded as “Aigewingen” in a document in 739.

Among the prominent sons of the village Elvange is the church painter Nicolas Brucher (1874–1957), whose outstanding work can be admired a.o. in the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Masovia in P³ock (Poland) and the Basilica of Saint Willibrord in Echternach (Luxembourg). Brucher has also decorated the interior of the parish church in his hometown of Elvange.

Remerschen

The history of Remerschen can be traced back to Celtic times. Numerous relics from Gallo-Roman times, among which the famous Roman villas along the Moselle, have been preserved to this day. The region has been known for winemaking since these early times. First mentioned in 893 as “Remsere”, the town progressively changed its name to “Remerschen”. Due to its prominent location on the banks of the Moselle, Remerschen was repeatedly looted by soldiers and mercenaries passing through. Today Remerschen is the seat of the Winemaker’s Cooperative “Caves Coopératives du Sud”, which was founded in 1950. Each year on the 1st May,  townspeople gather to taste the new wine.

Thanks to its wide range of leisure and recreational facilities, amidst artificial bathing lakes, Remerschen attracts a substantial number of locals and tourists in summer.

The town is also the seat of the administration of the commune which until its change of name to Schengen in 2006, was called the commune of Remerschen.

Schengen

The first known record of Schengen dates back to 877. From the original Schengen Castle built in 1390 only the central tower remains. The current building, which dates from the 19th century, is a reconstruction from the remnants of its predecessor. The castle’s most prestigious visitor to date was the French writer Victor Hugo (1871). Schengen is the point of departure of the 42-km-long “Route du Vin” (“Wine Road”). The Stromberg, Markusberg and Felsberg vineyards are known for producing high-quality Pinot Blanc (White Burgundy).

Located in the heart of Europe, the small winemaking town of Schengen gained international recognition thanks to the eponymous treaty which was signed there on the 14th June 1985 onboard the MS Princesse Marie-Astrid by political representatives from Germany, France and the Benelux states. The town had been chosen for the signing of this milestone in the history of European integration because of its geographic location in the Three Border Region where Germany, France and Luxembourg meet.

To celebrate the 25th aniversary of the Schengen agreement, an european museum was conceived and is located at the European information Centre in Schengen. At the museum the visitor gets information about the Schengen agreement and can also gain insight about the small wine grow village of Schengen.

Schwebsange

Schwebsange is first mentioned as “Psuesingen” in documents of the Prüm Abbey from 893. The historic town centre is an open-air museum featuring a series of artefacts, among which a complete winepress from the 12th century.

Up until the 19th century pilgrims from the Hunsrück and Eifel regions hoping to be cured of headaches and falling sickness used to visit the town and pray to Saint Fiacre of Meaux and Saint Peter of Milan.

Schwebsange also boasts Luxembourg’s only marina.

 Wellenstein

The three towns Wellenstein, Bech-Kleinmacher and Schwebsingen are linked by a learning path (“Sentier viti-culturel”) that addresses life and work in the vineyards. The Scheuerberg hill offers visitors a spectacular scenic vista over the Moselle valley.

Unfolding around the renovated town square, the medieval cityscape of Wellenstein awaits visitors with narrow alleys and historic arcades from the 16th century. The warm colours of the refurbished winemakers’ houses contribute to the characteristic charm and atmosphere of this typical winemaking village.

Wintrange

Archaeological findings indicate that settlements in the valley go back as far as prehistoric times. The first written time Wintrange was mentioned dates from 893. Its scenic location in the midst of vineyards testifies  its long tradition of winemaking.

Built in 1600, the castle and its surrounding park, which are now under private ownership, are among the most beautiful in the country.

Schengen

Commune

A view of Schengen

Coat of arms

Map of Luxembourg with Schengen highlighted in orange, the district in dark grey, and the canton in dark red

Coordinates: 49°28′N 6°22′ECoordinates: 49°28′N 6°22′E

Schengen if from Canton, District of Grevenmacher. (pronounced [ˈʃeŋə(n)]) is a small wine-growing-making village, commune in far south-eastern Luxembourg, on the River Moselle. It is near the tripoint where the borders of Germany,France, and Luxembourg meet.

THE NAME

A view of Schengen.

It is inextricably linked to peace and freedom in Europe, as it was in this small wine-growing village that an important chapter in European history was written in 1985.

Signed onboard the MS Princesse Marie-Astrid, the Schengen Agreement was the first step towards the disappearance of borders in Europe. It also put Schengen on the map.

Schengen was chosen because of its ideal location in the Three-Border-Region. Its here where the three Benelux countries meet Germany and France. The abolition of controls at the internal frontiers consolidated the Member States of the Schengen Area. Now the Schengen Area counts 26 Member-States and the Agreement allows over 400 million Europeans travelling without barriers.

Map of Luxembourg with Schengen highlighted in orange, the district in dark grey, and the canton in dark red.

Other villages within the commune include:

1. Remerschen
2. Wintrange.

Remerschen  is the largest settlement with the commune of Schengen. It is after which the commune used to be named. In 2006, the name of the commune was changed to take advantage of the Schengen’s name recognition after the signing of the Schengen Agreement there in 1985.

Schengen Castle dates from 1390.  It was almost completely rebuilt in the 19th century and  now a hotel and conference centre.

The European Museum in Schengen

On 13 June 2010, The European Museum was opened, 25 years after the signing of the Schengen Treaty, in the building “Centre Européen”.

The permanent trilingual exhibition on the history and significance of the Schengen Agreements, on 200 square meters of exhibition space, shows visitors that the elimination of the control of persons at the internal borders put into practice one of the four foundational European freedoms set down in the 1957 Treaty of Rome. The signing of the Agreement is documented with historic photos and video and sound footage as well as statements by those involved at the time.

The visitor center “Centre Européen houses the “Musée Européen Schengen” (European Museum), a permanent exhibition about the European Union and the Schengen Agreement as well as “Europe-direct-information centre” with documentation about the activities of the European Union, where you’ll also find a tourist information centre.

One of the visitors commented to this place and noting the integrated grapes:

From “Political pilgrimage” “If you ever wondered what Schengen was all about, then you should stop off here. Its significance to a border-free EU is immense and the tiny community punches far above its weight. You would be hard-pressed to spend more than an hour here but it worth doing if only for the steel sculptures at the riverside and the little museum. For those of us opting out at present, they have kindly left space on the symbolic columns for our empty stars to be filled in with some stereotypical bronzes. Then head off for a winery to savour the real esprit de Schengen creme – with the full cooperation of integrated grapes from the 3 neighbouring countries. i’ll raise my glass to Schengen, but I’m not sure I want the headache that might follow….”

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