Clervaux (; lb, Clierf or (locally) ; german: Clerf) is a
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
and town in northern
Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
, administrative capital of the
canton of Clervaux.
The town's arms, granted in 1896, show three blackbirds on a gold ground in the chief of a red shield, as a variation of the arms of the former Lords of Clervaux.
, the town of Clervaux, which lies in the southwest of the commune, has a population of 1,309.
Populated places
The commune consists of the following villages:
* Clervaux Section:
** Clervaux
**
Eselborn (Eeselbur)
**
Mecher (Mecher)
**
Reuler (Reiler)
**
Urspelt (Ischpelt)
**
Weicherdange
Weicherdange (, ) is a village in the commune of Clervaux, in northern Luxembourg
Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Gra ...
(Wäicherdang)
**
Kaaspelterhof (Kaaspelt) (lieu-dit)
**
Kirelshof (Kirelshaff) (lieu-dit)
**
Wirtgensmühle (Wirtgensmillen) (lieu-dit)
*
Heinerscheid Section:
**
Fischbach (Fëschbech)
**
Grindhausen (Grandsen)
**
Heinerscheid (Hengescht)
**
Hupperdange (Hëpperdang)
**
Kalborn (Kaalber)
**
Lieler (Léiler)
**
Fossenhof (Fossenhaff) (lieu-dit)
**
Kaesfurt (Kéisfuert) (lieu-dit)
**
Kalborn-Moulin (Kaalber Millen) (lieu-dit)
**
Lausdorn* (Lausduer) (lieu-dit)
**
Tintesmühle (Tëntesmillen) (lieu-dit)
*
Munshausen Section:
**
Drauffelt Drauffelt () is a village in the commune of Munshausen, in northern Luxembourg. As of 2014, the village has a population of 205.
Description
Drauffelt contains a handful of roads and lanes, of which the most important is the ''Wëlzerstroos'' (W ...
(Draufelt)
**
Marnach (Maarnech)
**
Munshausen (Munzen)
**
Roder (Rueder)
**
Siebenaler (Siwwenaler)
Note:
* - partially shared with the
Commune of Wäisswampech
History
The city was the site of heavy fighting during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, in the December 1944
Battle of Clervaux
The Battle of Clervaux or the Battle for Clervaux (in English sources, Clervaux is occasionally called by the German name Clerf) was an opening engagement of the Battle of the Bulge that took place in the town of Clervaux in northern Luxembourg. I ...
, part of the "
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
".
Population
Sights
The Family of Man
''The Family of Man'' was an ambitious exhibition of 503 photography, photographs from 68 countries curated by Edward Steichen, the director of the New York City Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Department of Photography. According to Steichen, ...
, a famous exhibit of photos collected by
Edward Steichen
Edward Jean Steichen (March 27, 1879 – March 25, 1973) was a Luxembourgish American photographer, painter, and curator, renowned as one of the most prolific and influential figures in the history of photography.
Steichen was credited with tr ...
, is on permanent display in
Clervaux Castle
Clervaux Castle ( lb, Schlass Klierf, german: Schloss Clerf, french: Château de Clervaux) in the town of Clervaux in Northern Luxembourg dates back to the 12th century. Destroyed by the fire in the Second World War during the Battle of the Bulge ...
.
The castle also includes the Battle of the Bulge Museum, with an extensive collection of American, German, and Luxembourgish artifacts from World War II, and an exhibition of models of the castles and palaces of Luxembourg. A U.S. Sherman tank that participated in the battle for Clervaux and a German 88 anti-aircraft/anti-tank artillery piece are on display in front of the castle.
The
Abbey of St. Maurice and St. Maur is situated on the hills above the town of Clervaux. Notable associations include
Halldór Laxness, 1902–1998, the
Nobel Prize-winning
Iceland
Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...
ic writer, who converted to
Roman Catholicism while staying at the abbey. A
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
mission to
Scandinavia
Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...
has for many years maintained a base at the abbey.
The town is also home to a parish church, built between 1910 and 1912 in the Rheinisch-Romanesque style, and to an eighteenth-century chapel.
Twin towns — sister cities
Clervaux is
twinned with:
*
Horezu, Romania
Gallery
Image:0 Clervaux 101021 CH1.JPG, Castle of Clervaux
Image:0 Clervaux 101021 CH3.JPG, Castle of Clervaux
Image:0 Clervaux 101021 E2.JPG, Church Saints Cosmas and Damian (1910-1912)
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Communes in Clervaux (canton)
Towns in Luxembourg