Luxembourg Under the Stars 2025
Gather Under the Stars with the Who’s Who of Luxembourgers and Luxembourg-Americans from around the Globe at this annual LACS fundraising event!
Ticket Sales End July 22nd!
About the Event:
Join us for an unforgettable evening of family, food, and festivities at “Luxembourg Under the Stars”. This exclusive event brings together Luxembourgers and Luxembourg-Americans from around the globe for a night of culinary delight and cultural celebration.
Don’t miss this extraordinary celebration of Luxembourgish heritage and cuisine.
Get your tickets before it’s too late!
Annual Appeal Donations – Giving Tuesday 2024
This Holiday Season, we are thankful for all of our members and the Luxembourg American Community. On this Giving Tuesday, please consider making a donation toward our Annual Appeal Fund.
On August 9, 2024, the LACS Center turned 15 years old! The beautiful new center opened to great fanfare, which included a visit from H.R.H. the Grand Duke Henri. We are still a very young organization with so many opportunities for growth and recognition. Our membership continues to increase each year and our connections to new opportunities with the country of Luxembourg advances every day. The future is very bright for the LACS.
However, our buildings, gardens, and grounds are starting to need the usual repairs and updates, such as repairs to our roof. Internally, we had to replace our fire alert system and technology updates are continuous. While we have been putting away funds for these items, the cost of goods and services keeps going up. We hope you can support our efforts and make a big impact with your 2024 Annual Appeal Gift.
As a thank you, all Annual Appeal Donors are recognized in our Spring/Winter Gazette. We also welcome gifts in memory or in celebration of someone special. Thank you for supporting the Luxembourg American Cultural Society. We are proud to be the only museum and research center committed to preserving the Luxembourg American experience.
Preserving Luxembourg’s Castles and Architectural Heritage
Presented by Patrick Sanavia, Director of the National Institute for Architectural Heritage in Luxembourg (INPA)
Thursday, October 24, 2024
11:00 a.m. CST
From impressive castles and sacred churches to industrial structures, these architectural features across Luxembourg’s landscape are crucial to understanding its rich history.
But how do we ensure these significant sites will last for generations to come? Join Patrick Sanavia to learn about the critical work of INPA their projects.
Exploring the Luxembourg National Archives
Interested in learning more about your ancestors who emigrated from Luxembourg?
The Luxembourg National Archives is a great place to start!
The Luxembourg National Archives play a key role in the conservation and communication of public and private archives as well as in the records management within the Luxembourg state. This work is essential in order to maintain the memory of the country, for a more transparent and more democratic society and for the proper functioning of public organizations. The National Archives enable citizens and researchers to have access to Luxembourg’s collective and individual memory.
During this talk, Nadine Zeien and Sanja Simic will provide you with an overview of the Luxembourg National Archives’ missions and activities, and guide you through the archival material available online for every person interested in genealogical research.
This program will be offered through Zoom. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
*Tickets are per device. If multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
About the Speakers:
Nadine Zeien, born in 1977, studied history at the Centre universitaire de Luxembourg and at the University of Liège from 1996 to 2000. In 2001, she acquired a Diploma of Advanced Studies (DEA) in medieval history at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve. Since 2003, she holds the position as curator of the medieval and modern collections at the Luxembourg National Archives.
Sanja Simic, born in 1986, studied history at the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne from 2005 to 2010, where she acquired a Master 2 Diploma in modern history. She worked as a journalist, communication officer and history teacher, and holds, since 2017, the position as head of the public relations department at the Luxembourg National Archives
History Talk: Luxembourg’s Steel Industry
Did you know that the One World Trade Center and American Family Field (formerly Miller Park) were built with Luxembourgish steel?
Luxembourg has a rich agricultural history that many of us are familiar with. However, during Europe’s Industrial Revolution (1840s-1890s), Luxembourg completely shifted from an agricultural society to an industrious society with the mass production of steel. Former Ambassador Krieger will discuss the history of Luxembourg’s steel industry and how it shaped the Luxembourg we know today.
This program will be offered through Zoom. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
*Tickets are per device. If multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
About the Speaker: Former Ambassador Carlo Krieger
Carlo Krieger grew up on a farm outside Mertert, a small Luxembourg village situated on the banks of the Moselle River. He began his studies at the University of Vienna, went on to Miami University (Ohio) to receive a B.A. in social anthropology and continued his studies at the University of Chicago as a Fulbright grantee, before receiving his Ph.D. in Vienna, Austria. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a civil servant. During the last decades he has been posted to several countries representing Luxembourg, and he most recently served in Brazil, until his retirement in April 2022. Among other tasks, he currently chairs the Luxembourg Roots and Leaves organization. He is married to fellow Let’s Talk Luxembourg Presenter, Nicole Krieger-Loos and they have three children.
Virtual Collections Visit – Part II
Ever wonder what is behind the scenes in the archives and collections of the LACS?
Join Curator Serena Stuettgen for a look into the artifact collection! She will give an overview of the over 20,000 items in the LACS collection and talk a little about how the LACS preserves Luxembourg American heritage and culture through artifacts. Then Serena will showcase artifacts selected from the collection that help tell the history and culture of the Luxembourg American community.
This program will be offered through Zoom on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 11am Central Time. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
About Our Host:
Serena Stuettgen is the LACS Museum Curator and manages the artifact collection, exhibits, and research center. Before joining the LACS in April 2019, she worked for six years in various roles at Milwaukee’s Pabst Mansion, was an art handler for Guardian Fine Art Services, and had an internship at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. Her education includes a Master of Arts from UW-Milwaukee with an emphasis in Public History and a certificate in Museum Studies, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Religious Studies and History. She also carries a culture certificate from a summer program at the University of Kassel in Germany. Serena is passionate about using current museum trends to connect the public with history through the preservation, research, and use of collections.
*Tickets are per device. So if multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
Holiday Cooking Class
Holiday Cooking Class!
Let’s celebrate the holidays together through this cooking class with Nicky Krieger-Loos & Marc Weydert.
Nicky will be making traditional Luxembourgish dumplings, Kniddelen, and Marc will make Ierzebulli (Pea) Soup. These two dishes make the perfect combo for a cozy winter night. Keep an eye out for the shopping list on our social media. Registrants will receive the recipes on the Monday before the cooking class via email. Click on the shopping list link below.
Shopping List – Holiday Cooking Class 2023
This program will be offered through Zoom. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
*Tickets are per device. If multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
About our Speakers:
Nicky Krieger-Loos is from Dudelange/Luxembourg. In 1987, as a member of the La Ronde Bettembourg folk dancing group, she visited for the first time communities in the Midwest settled by Luxembourg immigrants in the 19th century. Over the years has stayed in touch with numerous descendants of these immigrants. With her husband Carlo and their children Claire, Louis and Lucie, they have moved around the world and lived in the USA, Austria, Russia, China, and currently in Brasilia. This way she has discovered many new food styles, recipes and attended cooking classes in many different places. An optician by training, she now pursues her hobbies cooking, baking crazy birthday cakes, quilting, and up-cycling all kinds of fabrics from worn-out jeans to her children’s old clothes.
Marc Weydert graduated in Education Sciences. He is a teacher by training and he’s currently working for the Luxembourg Ministry of Education as a French text book author. He is married to Luxembourg diplomat Véronique Dockendorf and they have 3 daughters, Amélie, Sophie and Julie. Prior to moving to Brussels in summer of 2020, they spent 4 years in Washington, DC, where Véronique was posted as Deputy Head of Mission at the Luxembourg Embassy. From 2008 to 2012, the family lived their first « American » experience in New York City, while being posted to the Permanent Mission of Luxembourg to the United Nations.
Cooking and baking is one of Marc’s favorite hobbies, amongst others like composing and making music as well as woodworking. He attended culinary classes at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and at L’Académie de Cuisine in Bethesda, MD, and animated two cooking workshops about Luxembourg cuisine at the Washington, DC YMCA in 2019 and 2020.
History Talk: The Early Years of Luxembourg
Learn about Luxembourg’s early history, long before it became an independent country.
The name/word ‘Luxembourg’ can be found in texts as early as 963AD. In the modern age, we typically look to the last 200 years of Luxembourg’s history. But, Luxembourg has a rich history that goes beyond just 200 years ago.
Board Member Marc Klein will discuss the history of Luxembourg from 963 to 1443 when the Duchy passed control to The Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Good. Marc will talk about the first sovereigns from the House of Luxembourg, the four emperors from the House of Luxembourg, and the last years before the Duchy became part of Burgund.
This program will be offered through Zoom. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
*Tickets are per device. If multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
About the Speaker: Marc Klein
Marc works for Luxembourgeoise-Vie, a life insurance company and lives in Frisange, Luxembourg. He has a passion for genealogy and the Luxembourg emigration to the United States. He has published an article about the local emigration from Frisange, Aspelt and Hellange and has researched the emigration from Luxembourg’s Moselle region to the United States.
Virtual Visit of MUDAM
Join Executive Director Bettina Steinbrügge as she takes us on a virtual presentation of MUDAM – The Contemporary Art Museum of Luxembourg.
This talk discusses Luxembourg’s art scene through the exhibits and collections of MUDAM. Executive Director Bettina Steinbrügge will take us on a virtual presentation of her vision for MUDAM. Bettina will share her vision for MUDAM by presenting the 2024 artistic program and the way it unfolds as a new model for a contemporary art museum and collection aimed to engage broad audiences.
MUDAM (c.1998) stands for Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, which currently uses the title Mudam — the Contemporary Art Museum of Luxembourg.
MUDAM was designed by Sino-American and Pritzker Prize winning architect Ieoh Ming Pei. The architecture of the museum is intended as a dialogue between the natural and historical context of its site. In its orientation it represents a link between the past (the former Fort Thüngen and the historic city of Luxembourg), the present and the future (the European district of Kirchberg). The collection counts more than 700 works by more than 100 artists. MUDAM offers temporary expositions, a presentation of works from the collection, guided tours, encounters, workshops, etc.
Check out MUDAM’s current and upcoming Exhibits here.
This program will be offered through Zoom. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
*Tickets are per device. If multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
About the Speaker: Executive Director Bettina Steinbrügge
“Having close ties to Luxembourg ever since the start of my curatorial career, I have
eagerly followed the development of this exceptional museum. Innovation and receptivity have always been at the core of Mudam, making it a forerunner among international museums in the 21st century. With its considerable collection of outstanding artworks, Mudam provides an inspiring cultural platform for dialogue and exchange located in the heart of Europe. The country’s linguistic diversity and inclusivity offer an excellent basis for addressing the issues of our time.” Furthermore, Bettina Steinbrügge emphasises that “in this age of uncertainty, museums have an increasingly important role to play in providing context and perspective for a wide range of visitors across generations. I imagine Mudam as a foyer of the arts, a place for gatherings that can help to shape collective visions for the future and support new participatory ways of living together. Together with the team of Mudam, I would like to build on the museum’s existing infrastructure, develop the collection further, and foster Mudam as an institution for research and public knowledge that actively addresses questions of globalisation, ecology and sustainability through art”.
Bettina Steinbrügge has directed the Kunstverein in Hamburg, Germany, since 2014. Her programme is renowned for its challenging exhibitions compiled in collaboration with internationally renowned institutions. In her former role as Senior Curator and Head of the Contemporary Collection at Belvedere in Vienna, Austria, Steinbrügge was central to the development and conception of Belvedere 21, the museum’s new focus on contemporary art in Austria. Previously, she was Director of the Halle für Kunst Lüneburg in Germany, Associate Curator
of Kunsthalle Mulhouse in France, and Managing Director of Kunstmeile Hamburg, the marketing association of museums and exhibition spaces in Hamburg. During her academic career, Steinbrügge has taught at the Leuphana Universität in Lüneburg, HEAD in Geneva, Switzerland, and she works as a Professor of Art Theory and History at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg.
Luxembourg Immigration to Brazil
Did you know Brazil has a strong Luxembourgish population?
Former Ambassador Carlo Krieger will present on the immigration of Luxembourgers to Brazil, the other America. As the former Luxembourg Ambassador to Brazil, he will explore the similarities and differences between Luxembourg immigration to Brazil and the United States.
This program will be offered through Zoom. Members, please sign in when requesting your ticket.* The Zoom link will be emailed after ticket purchase, and we will send a reminder email a day or two prior to the event.
*Tickets are per device. If multiple people plan to watch from the same computer, only one ticket is needed.
About the Speaker:
Former Ambassador Carlo Krieger grew up on a farm outside Mertert, a small Luxembourg village situated on the banks of the Moselle River. He began his studies at the University of Vienna, went on to Miami University (Ohio) to receive a B.A. in social anthropology and continued his studies at the University of Chicago as a Fulbright grantee, before receiving his Ph.D. in Vienna, Austria. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a civil servant. During the last decades he has been posted to several countries representing Luxembourg, and he most recently served in Brazil, until his retirement in April 2022. Among other tasks, he currently chairs the Luxembourg Roots and Leaves organization. He is married to Nicole Krieger-Loos and they have three children.