Grunewald (Luxembourg)
Encyclopedia
The Grünewald is a forest
in central Luxembourg
, most of which is owned by the national government. Grünewald stretches through the communes of Niederanven
, Steinsel
, and Walferdange
; the centre of the forest is situated 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of central Luxembourg City. As a result of its proximity to Luxembourg's capital city
, it is a popular destination for tourism, leisure, and hospitality. Within the Grünewald are the sources
of the Black Ernz
and the White Ernz
.
s) remaining of the forest to raise money for economic development. The forest was bought by Baron Ziegesar for 530,000 Guilders, and presented to Grand Duke
William II
. In grand ducal possession, the Grünewald's territory was expanded greatly by a series of acquisitions.
In 1890, however, the end of the personal union
between the Netherlands
and Luxembourg meant the owner of the Grünewald was no longer the Luxembourgian sovereign, but Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
. The following year, Grand Duke Adolphe
. bought the forest, by now 24.43 km² (6,037 acres) in size, from the Dutch crown for 2,788,798 francs. Over the following 35 years, the territory was augmented further by a series of separate purchases; during the same period, some areas of the Grünewald was sold off.
Due to financial hardship at the height of the Great Depression
, in 1934, Grand Duchess Charlotte
sold much of the Grünewald, together with Berg Castle
, to the Luxembourgian government. Of the total price tag for the two properties of 40 m francs, 20 m was denoted for the Grünewald; this was seen to have undervalued the forest (as it did the castle), as it had been assessed by the government as being worth 25 m francs. The sale included 7.76 km² (1,920 acres) of the forest, leaving 10 km² (2,500 acres) in the hands of the Grand Duchess. Urban legend
has it that Charlotte's husband, Prince Félix
, lost the Grünewald at a casino, but this is false; the revenue went to pay for the upkeep of the grand-ducal household, and was not spent on personal consumption, let alone gambling losses.
Since 1934, the size of the Grünewald has fallen, mostly as a result of expansion of Luxembourg City and the construction of numerous roads in and around the area.
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
in central Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, most of which is owned by the national government. Grünewald stretches through the communes of Niederanven
Niederanven
Niederanven is a commune and town in Luxembourg. Its population is 5,440 and it is located north-east of Luxembourg City, adjacent to the Luxembourg-Findel International Airport .-Overview:...
, Steinsel
Steinsel
Steinsel is a commune and town in central Luxembourg. It is located north of Luxembourg City., the town of Steinsel, which lies in the west of the commune, has a population of 1,844. Other towns within the commune include Heisdorf and Mullendorf....
, and Walferdange
Walferdange
Walferdange is a commune and small town in central Luxembourg. It is located north of Luxembourg City., the town of Walferdange, which lies in the centre of the commune, has a population of 728. Other towns within the commune include Helmsange and Bereldange.The commune of Walferdange was formed...
; the centre of the forest is situated 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of central Luxembourg City. As a result of its proximity to Luxembourg's capital city
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
, it is a popular destination for tourism, leisure, and hospitality. Within the Grünewald are the sources
Source (river or stream)
The source or headwaters of a river or stream is the place from which the water in the river or stream originates.-Definition:There is no universally agreed upon definition for determining a stream's source...
of the Black Ernz
Black Ernz
The Black Ernz is a river flowing through Luxembourg, joining the Sauer at Grundhof. It flows through the towns of Junglinster and Mullerthal....
and the White Ernz
White Ernz
The White Ernz is a river flowing through Luxembourg, joining the Sauer at Reisdorf. It flows through the towns of Larochette, Medernach and Ermsdorf....
.
History
The Grünewald is held in great affection by the Luxembourgian people, dating as it does back to the formation of the country in the 1840s. In 1846, the government proposed selling the 6.69 square kilometres (1650 acreAcre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s) remaining of the forest to raise money for economic development. The forest was bought by Baron Ziegesar for 530,000 Guilders, and presented to Grand Duke
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the sovereign monarch and head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was elevated from a duchy when placed in personal union with the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
William II
William II of the Netherlands
William II was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and Duke of Limburg from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.- Early life and education :...
. In grand ducal possession, the Grünewald's territory was expanded greatly by a series of acquisitions.
In 1890, however, the end of the personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
between the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Luxembourg meant the owner of the Grünewald was no longer the Luxembourgian sovereign, but Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
. The following year, Grand Duke Adolphe
Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
. bought the forest, by now 24.43 km² (6,037 acres) in size, from the Dutch crown for 2,788,798 francs. Over the following 35 years, the territory was augmented further by a series of separate purchases; during the same period, some areas of the Grünewald was sold off.
Due to financial hardship at the height of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, in 1934, Grand Duchess Charlotte
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg was the reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg from 1919 to 1964.-Early life and life as Grand Duchess:...
sold much of the Grünewald, together with Berg Castle
Berg Castle
Berg Castle , also called Colmar-Berg, is the principal residence of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. It is situated in the town of Colmar-Berg, in central Luxembourg, near the confluence of the Alzette and the Attert, two of Luxembourg's most important rivers.-History:The estate at Colmar-Berg first...
, to the Luxembourgian government. Of the total price tag for the two properties of 40 m francs, 20 m was denoted for the Grünewald; this was seen to have undervalued the forest (as it did the castle), as it had been assessed by the government as being worth 25 m francs. The sale included 7.76 km² (1,920 acres) of the forest, leaving 10 km² (2,500 acres) in the hands of the Grand Duchess. Urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
has it that Charlotte's husband, Prince Félix
Felix of Bourbon-Parma
Prince Félix of Bourbon-Parma , later Prince Félix of Luxembourg, was the husband of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and the father of her six children, including Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Early life:Prince Félix was one of the...
, lost the Grünewald at a casino, but this is false; the revenue went to pay for the upkeep of the grand-ducal household, and was not spent on personal consumption, let alone gambling losses.
Since 1934, the size of the Grünewald has fallen, mostly as a result of expansion of Luxembourg City and the construction of numerous roads in and around the area.