Between 1860 and 1980, at least 1,500 miners died in the Grand Duchy’s mining industry. To commemorate them and bring their stories to light, the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH) has developed a website in collaboration with the Inspectorate of Labour and Mines (ITM).

For over 120 years, Luxembourg’s mines were operated under harsh conditions. At the same time, miners were pioneers when it comes to social progress, demanding collective agreements in the 1930s, wage indexations, and a 44-hour working week in the 1950s.

Their contribution is commemorated through a national monument that was unveiled in Kayl in 1957, accompanied by a statue of Saint Mary, patron saint of miners. Currently, 26 stone tablets commemorate the lost lives in the mines, however, a new website is to further boost this through statistics and historical anecdotes.

To facilitate research, university scholars digitised the names inscribed on these tablets and integrated them into Emile Gelaufen’s register of mining fatalities. This has enabled the C2DH to compile detailed statistics on mining-related accidents.

The records reveal the youngest victim was just over 16 years old, while the oldest was 78.

Sam Klein, a military historian who contributed to the project, points a link between mining deaths and the broader impacts of the two world wars. “During economic crises following the wars, mining deaths declined.”

The website represents the first phase of a larger project looking to create a comprehensive database of deceased mine-workers. In tandem with celebrating its 150th anniversary, the ITM stressed the importance of acknowledging the workers’ contributions to Luxembourg’s prosperity. Marc Bolt, director of the ITM, added that the country’s wealth was built on manual labour, so it is vital to remember those who made this possible.

Nonetheless, the project comes with a series of challenges. Historical records from the period provide limited information, particularly regarding the nationality of workers, as documentation typically only listed their places of residence.

Mininghistory.uni.lu launched in early December and is accessible to everyone. The C2DH is looking for anyone to contribute to the initiative if they have any historical materials or knowledge on the Luxembourgish miners.

Listen to the full report in Luxembourgish here: