Luxembourg Fest Mass

Meet your 2023 Luxembourg Fest Duke and Duchess, Dennis and Denise Dimmer!

Both Dennis and Denise grew up near Belgium, WI and are both Luxembourg dual citizens. Dennis reclaimed it through Article 89 using his Great-Great Grandmother, Anna (Steines) Katheiser of Mammer, Luxembourg. Denise reclaimed it through Article 89 using her great-great grandfather, Franz Jacoby of Hassel, Luxembourg. Both of our parents were proud Luxembourgers and they passed that pride on to us so we are passing it on to our children and grandchildren. It felt right to reclaim our Luxembourg heritage in this manner. Denise has been involved with Luxembourg Fest for many years as a Mass musician/coordinator and overseeing the Treipen Eating Contest. Dennis helps with Luxembourg Fest in different areas as needed and has been a Treipen Eating Contest Champ. As always, we look forward to Luxembourg Fest as a great social event to renew our friendships with neighbors here and the wonderful people we have met over the years from Luxembourg.

This year, Luxembourg Fest will be honoring the Medinger and Birnbaum families. These families hail from Canach, Rameldingen, Lenningen and Grevenmacher, Luxembourg. Nicholas Birnbaum was born in Bous, Luxembourg, and Margaretha Gehlen was born in Lenningen, Luxembourg. They immigrated to La Crosse, WI in 1880, later followed by their daughter Anna and her husband John Medinger (who was born in Lenningen, Luxembourg). The honored family efforts at Fest will be led by family descendent Sandy Hammes of La Crosse,Wisconsin, who invites all Medinger and Birnbaum families to participate. Hammes invites all families interested in participating to contact her for more info at sandyhammes@outlook.com.

Photo: Hotel Luxembourg, first owned by Nic & Margaretha then by son Ben. Home, hotel, bar, and barbershop. | Photo courtesy of Sandy Hammes.