$150.00 - Luxembourg American Heritage Information Center

In 1880 there were 7,000 foreign born and American born Luxembourgers living
along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. In 1940, the Luxembourg population at
home was 301,000 people and the number of Americans of Luxembourg descent here
were about 100,000.
Religious procession during Luxembourg Awareness Days, St. Donatus, Iowa,
June 7 through June 9, 1984. St. Donatus is home to many Luxembourg immigrant families.
Why did these people leave their homeland for America? There were several reasons
why these people left their homeland in search of a new beginning. Luxembourg at the
time was a poor undeveloped country and day-labor and village craftsmen were unable to
find steady jobs. Several bad harvests and poor weather contributed to crop failures.
Seems like some of the new people were unwilling to tolerate previous hardships endured
by their parents.
America seemed like a "dreamland" in the minds of the people, and there were
many tales of successful people who had gone to America. People writing back to friends
and relatives promised a great life and much money to be made here. Land was offered for
$2.00 to $4.00 per acre, 60 to 100 miles west of Minneapolis in central Minnesota.
Luxembourg colonies in Chicago distilled the feeling of safety, confidence and name
identity in an unknown land.
The Exhibit listed names taken from the ships manifests that included a "Whos
Who" of the Luxembourg population. It also listed those that "made it big" in America —
in the business and professional world. Names like Francis Mergen, a professor of
forestry at Yale University; Edward Steichen, known as Dean of American Photographers,
and well known for his collection of "Family of Man" photos, which are housed in a
special rebuilt castle in Clervaux, Luxembourg; William Kroll, an authority of Titanium
in U.S.A.; Chris Evert, renowned tennis player, of Luxembourg heritage; Monsignor
Jack Schweback, Bishop in U.S.A., from Diocese in LaCrosse, Wisconsin; Francis
Bergen, was 1st Consul of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg to U.S.A.; L.M. Kieffer, a
successful furniture manufacturer in Philadelphia, PA and John Ludwig, former Mayor
of Winona, Minnesota, was a Civil War Veteran. He was born in Canach, Luxembourg.
A town in North Dakota is named after him.
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