hazelclark Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 I have never been able to understand why, with all the hype around the invasion of Belgium, I have NEVER heard a cheep about Luxembourg. In fact, believe it or not, I think I had a vague idea that maybe they were in cahoots with the Germans. No doubt you will say that it is because I haven't looked. However, I have not needed to "look" for information about Belgium. Anyway, today while browsing the Amazon website, I came across the above book and ordered it. I really don't know why there isn't much out there about Luxembourg. Is it because of the size, strategic importance or what? I haven't read the book yet, but I must say that it is a subject that has always been at the back of my mind. Hazel C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 The author is a member of the forum, Hazel. He posts as Healdav. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazelclark Posted 9 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2014 Good grief! So it is even more surprising that no one mentions Luxembourg. (At least that I have seen) H.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 9 October , 2014 Share Posted 9 October , 2014 I go on about the place all the time (well being a Luxembourger I would, wouldn't I?) Have a good read. Any questions, you know where to come. In addition to this book, I have also published on Kindle, an inventory of the Luxembourgers involved in the war (Luxembourgers in the First World War). You may have seen the Michael Portillo series, "Railways of the Great War" in which I star in the first episode covering the invasion. It is now available on DVD, and there is a companion book of the same name, author Colette Hooper, available from wherever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazelclark Posted 9 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2014 Yes, well I started the book last night and am astounded, (although I know I shouldn't be) at my ignorance of the way in which Luxembourg was manipulated. They seemed to have been guilty of the "ostrich principle" to a greater extent even than Belgium. However, despite the railways, one can see that Luxembourg did not have quite the strategic value of Belgium, with it's access to the Channel. Hazel C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 10 October , 2014 Share Posted 10 October , 2014 Yes, well I started the book last night and am astounded, (although I know I shouldn't be) at my ignorance of the way in which Luxembourg was manipulated. They seemed to have been guilty of the "ostrich principle" to a greater extent even than Belgium. However, despite the railways, one can see that Luxembourg did not have quite the strategic value of Belgium, with it's access to the Channel. Hazel C. Well, if you had a treaty that said you couldn't have an army (not that it would have been more than a few hundred men unless they founded a Légion Etrangère), then said that you were perpetually neutral and that all the surrounding countries and more were guaranteeing your independence, I think anyone normal would consider themselves to be secure. As you read the book you will see that even before the railways were in operation the Germans were saying that they would alter the whole face of world trade. Eventually, Luxembourg was the biggest German railhead on the Western Front. Without it, the war WOULD have been over by Christmas (probably 1915). But read the book first, and then come back and we can discuss it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 13 October , 2014 Share Posted 13 October , 2014 Healdav, I asked my local library to obtain a copy for me to borrow. They usually provide an excellent service, but on this occasion say that the could not locate a copy in this country. Could you please quote the publisher. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazelclark Posted 14 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 14 October , 2014 Healdav, I asked my local library to obtain a copy for me to borrow. They usually provide an excellent service, but on this occasion say that the could not locate a copy in this country. Could you please quote the publisher. Old Tom Amazon has it. H.C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 14 October , 2014 Share Posted 14 October , 2014 Yes, it's in English on kindle only (but you can download to any laptop/PC/ i whatever). It is available in French from FNAC or if you ask me nicely, I will send you a copy for £20 (sorry about the price, but that is what it costs me to buy from the publisher). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 12 March , 2015 Share Posted 12 March , 2015 I'm bringing this back to the top as my second book, "Luxembourgers in the First World War: An Inventory" is now in its secodn edition on Amazon.com/Kindle. This new edition is longer than the first edition as birth records have mostly now become available and I have been able to add in family information for many men. Also, photographs can now be added to the book (Kindle wouldn't take them when I published the first edition), so there are photos of many of the men, and a lot of other information, such as parcel labels to serving men and those in POW camps, with photos of needlework done in POW camps, etc. The first edition has been deleted, so there is no risk of mixing them up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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