Evening star., 1940-05-26
By Frank II. Renffrow.

Dy 1VUWW Axs ~ nCWtJV OOs
Luxembourg. a tiny tear-drop on
the tortured face Of Europe, once
more lies in the grip of an invading
army. It is nothing new, for on the
first day Of the World War of 1914,
the German armies swept over the
defenseless territory. There are no
barriers across the frontiers; no
fortified strong points, no guarded
bridgeheads. Even if there were,
the tiny duchy lacks man power to
defend such positions, for only 300
soldiers could be modified for war
service.
It was not always thus, for once
it was so impregnable as to be
termed the Gibraltar of inland
Europe. It was after the downfall
Of Napoleon that Luxembourg was
demilitarized. Before that, the
spear-points of many armies blunted
their strength against its walls.
recall a ruined castle towering high
on a mountain in the medieval viii
lage Of Vianden. You ascend to it
by corkscrew trail that spirals up
the conical heights. 1t is a breath
taking climb without archers and
catapulteers showering their mis-
siles down on you.
The legions of Rome tried it. They
painted and labored up the precipi-
tous f1anks OF the mountain, always
exposed to destruction from above.
Those who lived to reach the heavy
doors began battering on them.
Suddenly blazing pitch spurted from
the troughs in the stone walls, splat-
tering the Romans with its living
fire. They fled from this burning
terror, and as they ran, the defend
ers harassed them from above.
Glory Long Dead.
But such romantic glory for Lux
embourg is long dead. 1t has been
sliced up like ripe melon until it
now consists of only 999 square miles,
considerably smaller than the State
Of Rhode Island, and with approx
mately half the population.
Most Of the slicing was consum-
mated by treaties rather than force
of arms. The territory was ceded
to Siegfried in 965 by the Monastery
OF Treves. Some 200 years later
it passed into possession Of the
Counts of Limburg, who assumed
the titles Counts of Luxembourg. In
1854 Charles Nv elevated it to q
duchy. With the marriage of Philip
Of Burgundy to Isabella. daughter
Of the King of Portugal, in 1443,
Philip handed the duchy over to the
House of Spain.
The treaty of the Pyrenees, No.
vember 7, 1859, brought part of the
territory to France, which century
and half later acquired it all. In
1915 Holland obtained Luxembourg
in exchange for certain German
principalities. In October, 1881, it
was further segmented; and again
IN 1889. The treaty of London guar
anteed its integrity in 1867.
The inhabitants are industrious,
clean living, and generally inclined
to farming; the principal crops being
wheat, rye, oats and potatoes. Horses
and cattle are reared; and the grapes
grow luscious in the Moselle Valley.
But the greatest wealth lies in the
comparatively tremendous output OF
iron ore; rising above the much
larger Italy in this industry.
The country is mountainous,
heavily wooded, with silver streams
winding through the valleys in pas
toral dignity. It is a beautiful land,
one that should bring nothing but
contentment to the hearts of its
rulers. But stark tragedy stalked to
the Grand Duchess Marie Adelaide,
and Charlotte, the sister who sue
ceeded her.
In February, 1912, Princess Marie
Adelaide ascended the throne. She