Invasion of Luxembourg in 1940

During the Second world war, the Luxembourg is invaded by the German army on May 9th, 1940.

the Funny one of war

The day before the invasion Luxembourg is divided between a feeling of sympathy towards the allies and its neutrality. The government adopts a line of non-belligerency in order to avoid a German invasion. That does not prevent Luxembourg from envisaging the German invasion of its territory. In spring 1940, fortifications were set up (see chart) along the border with Germany and France. The Schusterline line, baptized name of its manufacturer, is made up of concrete blocks laid out on the roads and connected by barbed barricades, ditches and wire. The goal of these barricades is to slow down the projection of the enemy troops and to give time to the Luxembourg government to protest by proposing its neutrality. But within sight of the power of the German army, this line of defense has especially a goal symbolic system and is used to reassure the population.

Luxembourg does not have any more an army since the Treaty of London of 1867 or the French and the English had imposed the dismantling of the forts luxembougeois and the dissolution of their small army; on the other hand this treaty stipulated the neutrality of Luxembourg formally. In front of its absence of army, Luxembourg had set up a militia, the body of the volunteers.

In spring 1940 Germany stops exporting iron and other metals in Luxembourg in order to prevent that the Luxembourg iron and steel plants do not provide them to France or the United Kingdom.

Luxembourg is in 1940 in a delicate situation, an attitude too pro-allemande exposes it to an invasion of the allies, other an attitude too pro-allies with a German invasion.

The Invasion

May 9th, 1940, at 3 hours 15 of the morning, the barricades of the Schusterline line installed on the roads at the German border are closed. German troop movements of the east coast of the rivers Sauer and the Moselle are noticed. The special forces German, equipped as a civilian and helped by Germans of Luxembourg tried to sabotage the radio broadcasts and the fortifications but failed since the barricades were already places from there and kept. In front of this German attack, the royal family of Luxembourg is evacuated towards the palate of the town of Luxembourg.

The German invasion starts at 4 hours 35 of the morning, the German troops do not meet any significant resistance, since the body of the volunteers remained in its barracks.

The capital is taken before midday. The allies remained nothing to make; at 8 o'clock in the morning, several French divisions cross the border of Luxembourg and come to test the German power. A few hours later, these divisions are folded up behind the Ligne Maginot.

At the evening of May 10th, 1940, all the country is occupied by the German forces, except some zones in the south. 47000 civilians flee in France, 45000 others in the north of Luxembourg.

The royal family and the government take refuge initially in France, then in Portugal to then go to London to continue the fight at the side of the allies.

May 11th, 1940, Luxembourg is entirely under control of the German army.

Assessment

In a little more 24:00, Luxembourg is invaded and occupied by the German army, the resistance of the body of the volunteers of Luxembourg was symbolic system, the majority of the units being still in their barracks at the time of the attack except for those deployed like guards with the barricades. The losses are tiny as well Luxembourg side as German. Thanks to the catch of Luxembourg, the German troops will attack Belgium by the East and will make their junction with the troops which attack the Netherlands.

internal bonds

Sources

German occupation off Luxembourg in World War II

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