Luxembourgers - who are they?

[Albion]

Who are the native Luxembourgers? Are they a distinct ethnicity or just some Germans, French or Belgians with a separate state?

They have a "language" which seems to be a dialect of German but most of the population speak French - is it due to Frenchification or simply because they're on the border between Germanic and Romance areas of Europe?

Are the Luxembourgers a distinct identity or are the same people as in the neighbouring countries?

[The Lawspeaker]

The Luxembourgers (their own ethnic group) themselves say it:

Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn (We want to remain who we are). They have their own culture, their own language and they are neither French, nor German, nor Netherlandic.

[Albion]

The Luxembourgers (their own ethnic group) themselves say it:

Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinn (We want to remain who we are). They have their own culture, their own language and they are neither French, nor German, nor Netherlandic.

It strikes me as strange then how they've developed an identity and the Walloons apparently haven't. And what of Belgian Luxembourg and Namur province? Would they ever join Luxembourg and do they see themselves as Luxembourgers?

[The Lawspeaker]

It strikes me as strange then how they've developed an identity and the Walloons apparently haven't. And what of Belgian Luxembourg and Namur province? Would they ever join Luxembourg and do they see themselves as Luxembourgers?

Namur was never part of Luxembourg but it's own county which in turn was partially part of the Prince Bisphoric of Liege which in turn was part of the Seventeen Netherlands etc.

Luxembourg was, for a part, part of Luxembourg but it seems that the Luxembourgish language has been supplanted over time in some areas. Something that can also be seen in the areas that are now in France or Germany.

[Tchek]

It strikes me as strange then how they've developed an identity and the Walloons apparently haven't.

Can you elaborate on why you think the Walloons have no identity?

[Albion]

Can you elaborate on why you think the Walloons have no identity?

Well it was really addressed to a discussion I had with Civis earlier concerning a Flemish website which said as such. It personally struck me as odd but I didn't see any reason for the writer to lie.

So are you telling me there is a definite Walloon identity or is "Walloon" just a catch-all term for describing a group of disparate peoples?

[Tchek]

Well it was really addressed to a discussion I had with Civis earlier concerning a Flemish website which said as such. It personally struck me as odd but I didn't see any reason for the writer to lie.

So are you telling me there is a definite Walloon identity or is "Walloon" just a catch-all term for describing a group of disparate peoples?

Well if it was a Flemish website, then there are reasons for the writer to "lie" or at least have a bias... it's typical among flemish nationalists to picture the Walloons as the standard-bearers of a "French culture" that destroys local cultures, as opposed to a folk with an identity... the Walloons are not more disparate than the Flemish (or then the French and the Germans have no identity either since they are too a catch-all term for describing a varied bunch of people).

[Albion]

Well if it was a Flemish website, then there are reasons for the writer to "lie" or at least have a bias... it's typical among flemish nationalists to picture the Walloons as the standard-bearers of a "French culture" that destroys local cultures, as opposed to a folk with an identity... the Walloons are not more disparate than the Flemish (or then the French and the Germans have no identity either since they are too a catch-all term for describing a varied bunch of people).

The writer suggested that people in Belgian Luxembourg and Namur province would want to join "Luxembourg proper" leaving the rest of Wallonia to drift into France's orbit.

Are you a Walloon? What's your personal opinion - would Wallonia join France or become a country if Flanders left Belgium?

[Tchek]

The writer suggested that people in Belgian Luxembourg and Namur province would want to join "Luxembourg proper" leaving the rest of Wallonia to drift into France's orbit.

Are you a Walloon? What's your personal opinion - would Wallonia join France or become a country if Flanders left Belgium?

I'm from Wallonia, partly from the Luxembourg province; I think I know what article you're refering to. If I'm not mistaken the article was very condescending (oh well) and wanted to reduce Wallonia into its most decayed places, while giving the credits of its more beautiful/succesful places to neighbouring countries (as if those places were "not really wallonia"). A way to stygmatize and discredit the idea of "Wallonia".


Maybe Wallonia would join France, but there is no way that the Luxembourg province would join the grand Duchy (and least of all Namur)... the only places in Wallonia I could picture going to Lux is the St-Vith area and the Arlon area, both being "Luxemburgish" (Eupen is more "German").

[Albion]

I'm from Wallonia, partly from the Luxembourg province; I think I know what article you're refering to. If I'm not mistaken the article was very condescending (oh well) and wanted to reduce Wallonia into its most decayed places, while giving the credits of its more beautiful/succesful places to neighbouring countries (as if those places were "not really wallonia"). A way to stygmatize and discredit the idea of "Wallonia".

I see. This is the article.
When reading the article I was rather sad at the idea of breaking up Wallonia but I just took the word of the author.

Maybe Wallonia would join France, but there is no way that the Luxembourg province would join the grand Duchy (and least of all Namur)... the only places in Wallonia I could picture going to Lux is the St-Vith area and the Arlon area, both being "Luxemburgish" (Eupen is more "German").

I suppose it'd perhaps become a French department, that's better than it being divided between three countries anyway.
Thanks for explaining it to me, it's good to get the opinions of an actual Walloon instead of biased Flemish or foreign opinions.

I'm not sure about the German towns though, France controls Alsace so I don't think it'd have any reservations about including them.

Whatever happens, I think Wallonia should stay as one entity. From what I've seen of it; it looks like a nice region.