Luxembourgish Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Luxembourg is a small, landlocked grand duchy between Belgium, France and Germany. It is a founding member of the European Union and a major centre of banking and finance. Its people speak Luxembourgish, French and German. Luxembourgers in Britain include students and professionals.

The community in numbers

The 2021 Census does not publish a separate Birmingham figure for the Luxembourgish community, which is counted within the census's figures for people born in other European Union countries. By any measure it is one of the city's smaller communities, which makes the ties between its members all the closer.

Working for Birmingham

Luxembourgers in Britain study and work in fields such as finance, law, business and European affairs, and most are fluent in several languages. Their experience of a small, highly international economy is valued in Birmingham's financial and professional services sector, one of the largest outside London.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Luxembourgish community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

National Day on 23 June is celebrated with fireworks and parades, and the Schueberfouer, a funfair that dates back to 1340, is a much-loved tradition. Judd mat Gaardebounen, smoked pork with broad beans, is the national dish.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Luxembourgish community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.