Everything about G Lle Fra totally explained
The
Monument of Remembrance, usually known by the nickname of the
Gëlle Fra (
Luxembourgish for 'Golden Lady'), is a
war memorial in
Luxembourg City, in southern
Luxembourg. It is dedicated to the thousands of Luxembourgers that volunteered for service in the
armed forces in the
Allied Powers in the
First World War.
The Gëlle Fra is situated in Constitution Square, in the
Ville Haute quarter of central Luxembourg City.
Description
The centrepiece of the monument is a 21 metre-tall
granite obelisk. Atop of the obelisk stands a
gilded bronze statue of a lady, holding out a
laurel wreath as if placing it upon the head of the nation. At the foot of the obelisk are two (ungilded) bronze figures, representing those Luxembourgian soldiers that volunteered to serve for
France; one lies at the base of the statue, having died in service of his country, whilst the other sits, mourning his dead compatriot.
The
sculptor of the three bronze figures was
Claus Cito, a native Luxembourger. The model for the Gëlle Fra is unknown.
History
First World War
During the First World War, Luxembourg pledged itself to
neutrality, but was
occupied by Germany, which justified its actions by citing military necessity. However, most Luxembourgers didn't believe
Germany's good intentions, fearing that Germany would
annex their country in the event of a German victory; these claims were substantiated by
Bethmann Hollweg's
Septemberprogramm.
Although Luxembourgers left under German occupation at home could do little to aid the Allies, those overseas, outside Germany's control, could volunteer to serve against Germany. In total, 3,200 Luxembourgian nationals served in the
French army, of whom, 2,800 died. As Luxembourg's pre-war population was only 266,000, this death toll amounted to more than 1% of the entire national population, which is a relatively greater percentage for many combatant nations (see:
World War I casualties).
Footnotes
Further Information
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