850A.01/46
The Luxemburg Chargé (Le Gallais) to the Secretary of State
Mr. Secretary of State: On instructions from the Government of Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess, I have the honor to make the following known to Your Excellency:
“Despite its word given at the beginning of the war to respect the integrity and the neutrality of the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, the Reich caused Luxemburg territory to be invaded and occupied during the night of May 9–10 of this year. To remove their activity from the pressure of the invader, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess and her Government went to another country, in order there to protest [Page 215] against this act of force and in order there freely to defend the interests of their country before other nations.
“To assure the civil administration of the country during the foreign military occupation, the Government, before its departure, did not fail to give the necessary instructions to the administrative authorities of Luxemburg who remained at their posts. This in conformity with the principles of international law.
“Now, the acts of interference of the German authorities in the administration of the Grand Duchy and the measures decreed by them since May 10 were not long in revealing the true intentions of the Reich with respect to Luxemburg. In fact, a few days after the invasion, the country was declared an enemy country and after a brief transition period the military administration was replaced by a German civil administration under the orders of a Gauleiter. The latter made his entrance into the city of Luxemburg at the head of German police troops. In a speech which he made on that occasion, he proclaimed the German character of the Luxemburg population. Successively, he has suppressed the use of the French language, which has for centuries been the official language of the country, required the exclusive use of the German language, declared the Constitution abolished, relieved officials of their oath of fidelity to Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess and forbidden the use of the expressions ‘Grand Duchy and Country of Luxemburg.’
“Against the arbitrariness of these measures taken in violation of international law, of treaties and of promises given by Germany, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess and Her Government formally protest. They will never recognize their validity.
“Neither in the past nor in the present has the attitude of the Sovereign nor the attitude of Her Ministers and the attitude of the population furnished the slightest pretext to the injustice which the Reich is in the act of committing with respect to a small country, the most peaceful of all.
“Although the authorities of the Reich have done everything since May 10 to prevent Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess and the Grand Ducal Government from entering into contact with the Luxemburg population, Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess and the Government know that in making this protest, they are acting in full accord with the Luxemburg people who, if they were free to express their sentiments, would not fail to affirm their will to remain free and independent, as scarcely a year ago, they had occasion to do in celebrating with unanimous enthusiasm the Centennial of the Independence of the Grand Duchy.”
I beg you to accept [etc.]