As an Englishman who has lived in Luxembourg since 1974 and after an early retirement have, for 10 years, been an accredited Luxembourg City Tourist Office guide, I was really looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately thanks to several typographical errors, misspellings (Diekirch, Dudelange etc.), poor editing/proof reading and I have to say what appears to be sloppy research the book turned out to be a disappointment.Just a few examples:
p92. August 1940 - Royal Family arrived in London - (Grand Duke)Jean joined British Army as private in Irish Guards then on p116 he suddenly joins Irish Guards in 1942. Fact: after sailing with his father and siblings on the USS Trenton to the US in 1940 and spending time there and Canada he ended up in England where in November 1942 he volunteered and after training at Aldershot became a Lieutenant, later Captain in the Irish Guards.
p142. 4th July 1960 Memorial Service at American Cemetery attended by President Eisenhower. Fact: Official Inauguration of Cemetery attended by GD Charlotte and Price Felix.Eisenhower sent a message, no serving President has ever visted, only Johnson and Bush Senior as VP's)
p107. Concentration camp Hinzert just outside Saarbrucken - actually Hinzert is approx. 35km from Trier and 70km from Saarbrucken.
p101. The synagogue was on corner of rue Notre Dame and Aldringen (not rue Congregation) and was not finally demolished until 1943.
p128. The vehicle General Patton was travelling in was a Cadillac staff car (not a jeep). He was thrown forward by the impact of the collision, with an army truck, breaking his neck on the metal partition behind the driver.
Just a few of the discrepancies I unfortunately found in the book.
Obviously the author has tried to document the very complex history of Luxembourg and has certainly spent a lot of time and effort on the project. Shame that it has been let down by too many errors.
However, for anyone who wishes to obtain a general impression of the very convoluted history of the Duchy/Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, then this is not a bad read, just do not use it for your doctorate!
