At the invitation of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, HRH the Grand Duke and Prime Minister Luc Frieden travelled to Omaha Beach on 6 June 2024 to take part in the international ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy. They were accompanied by the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Claude Wiseler, the Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, and the Army Chief of Staff, General Steve Thull.
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(fr. l. to r.) Luc Frieden, Prime Minister; HRH the Grand Duke; Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine; Charles Michel, President of the European Council; Mrs Zelensky.
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Ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy
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(fr. l. to r.) Brigitte Macron; Luc Frieden, Prime Minister; Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic
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Ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy
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(fr. l. to r.) Brigitte Macron; HRH the Grand Duke; Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic
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Ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy
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Ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy
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Welcome of HRH the Grand Duke by Emmanuel Macron.
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(fr. l. to .r) Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies; Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence
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Photo of the guests
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(fr. l. to r.) Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; Luc Frieden, Prime Minister
The Normandy landings marked a decisive moment in the history of the Second World War in Europe. After heavy fighting, it made it possible for the Allied forces to establish a bridgehead on the Normandy coast, from which they would participate in the liberation of Europe and the fall of the Nazi regime.
In this context, the Prime Minister said: "The Europe we know today was built thanks to the bravery, commitment and sacrifice of the soldiers of the Allied Forces. We owe them this victory, and their veterans are here today to bear witness to what happened 80 years ago. This commemoration reminds us that peace must be maintained and that freedom can never be taken for granted."
Among these Allied forces, seven Luxembourgers landed at the shores of Normandy on 6 June 1944. They were later followed by their countrymen in the Piron Brigade, a Belgian-Luxembourg brigade that landed in August 1944 and took part in the Battle of Normandy (August 1944) and the liberation of Belgium and the Netherlands (September 1944 to May 1945). In total, 126 Luxembourgers served in the Piron Brigade during the Second World War.
The ceremony was an opportunity to honour the memory of those who fought with the Allied Forces during the Second World War. The presence and the testimonies of the veterans of the Normandy landings made the ceremony even more meaningful.
Press release by the Ministry of State