Embassy of Russia in Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
The Embassy of Russia in Luxembourg is the diplomatic mission
of the Russian Federation to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The mission is located in the historic Château de Beggen.
in Senningen
, and another paper mill was built on this site. The mill was powered by water from the Donnersbach, which flowed from the side of Grünewald
; it operated into the first decades of the 19th century. The property was purchased by Auguste Dutreux before 1851.
The property was purchased on 23 October 1865 by Metz & Co
, and in 1866 the Donnersbach was redirected to supply the company's steel mill
at Dommeldange
. During the 1880s, Emile Metz built a villa on the site; however, this burned to the ground in January 1894. From 1894-1895, an architect from Brussels
built the present château in a historicist style reminiscent of Vaux-le-Vicomte
and Château de Fontainebleau
. When Metz died in 1904, the property passed to his widow Edmée Tesch. When Mme Tesch died in 1919, in the absence of direct heirs the property was bequeathed equally to Emile Mayrisch (the Director General of ARBED
) and Gaston Barbanson. Barbanson bought Mayrisch's share in the property in 1923, and lived in the property until 10 May 1940, when Nazi Germany
invaded and occupied Luxembourg
. The Barbanson family fled south to France
, and from 1940-1944 the property was occupied by the Wehrmacht
. From October 1944 to September 1945 units of the US Army were stationed in the property.
When Barbanson died in 1946, his widow and daughter waived their rights of inheritance, and the property passed to a charitable fund set up in 1913 by Edmée Tesch. On 2 March 1948, the governing council of the fund decided to sell the property, and in 1949 a Belgian businessman bought the property for 4.2 million Belgian franc
s. From 1950-1956 the property was utilised as a hotel
named Hôtel des Forges.
In 1956 the château was rented by the Soviet Union
to allow their diplomatic mission in Luxembourg to open. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 the mission was attacked by a group of demonstrators, and the ground floor of the château sustained considerable damage. On 5 June 1973 the château and an adjacent 2.8 hectare
plot of land was sold to the Embassy of the Soviet Union for 8.5 million francs.
From 2005-2009 the château underwent extensive renovation and reconstruction, and the interiors were restored to their former glory. During the works, which cost some 4 million euro
s, embassy staff worked temporarily in other buildings on the site. The ambassador, who normally utilised the château as his official residence, was also required to find other accommodations, and embassy functions were hosted in the Grand Théâtre. The damaged mosaics in the château were restored using expensive procedures; rotten wooden doors, walls and ceilings were reproduced; and the château was fitted with furniture manufactured in Italy
and accessories purchased in the antiques markets. Emile Hengen of Tageblatt
called the renovated château the 'most magnificent' embassy in Luxembourg. In September 2009, the château was a major attraction of European Heritage Days
in Luxembourg, and some 300 members of the public visited the property.
Diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one state or an international inter-governmental organisation present in another state to represent the sending state/organisation in the receiving state...
of the Russian Federation to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The mission is located in the historic Château de Beggen.
History of Château de Beggen
The site on which the château is located was purchased in the 18th century by Pierre Bourgeois, the owner of the first paper millPaper mill
A paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
in Senningen
Senningen
Senningen is a small town in the commune of Niederanven, in central Luxembourg. , the town has a population of 370....
, and another paper mill was built on this site. The mill was powered by water from the Donnersbach, which flowed from the side of Grünewald
Grunewald (Luxembourg)
The Grünewald is a forest in central Luxembourg, most of which is owned by the national government. Grünewald stretches through the communes of Niederanven, Steinsel, and Walferdange; the centre of the forest is situated north-east of central Luxembourg City. As a result of its proximity to...
; it operated into the first decades of the 19th century. The property was purchased by Auguste Dutreux before 1851.
The property was purchased on 23 October 1865 by Metz & Co
Metz & Co
' is a department store in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, founded in 1740 by Mozes Samuels who sold his company to his three sons in 1794. has the right to display the Dutch royal coat of arms with the legend 'By Royal Warrant Purveyor to the Royal Household' since 1815...
, and in 1866 the Donnersbach was redirected to supply the company's steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
at Dommeldange
Dommeldange
Dommeldange is a quarter in north-eastern Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg.In 2001, the quarter had a population of 1,798 people....
. During the 1880s, Emile Metz built a villa on the site; however, this burned to the ground in January 1894. From 1894-1895, an architect from Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
built the present château in a historicist style reminiscent of Vaux-le-Vicomte
Vaux-le-Vicomte
The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a baroque French château located in Maincy, near Melun, 55 km southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne département of France...
and Château de Fontainebleau
Château de Fontainebleau
The Palace of Fontainebleau, located 55 kilometres from the centre of Paris, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The palace as it is today is the work of many French monarchs, building on an early 16th century structure of Francis I. The building is arranged around a series of courtyards...
. When Metz died in 1904, the property passed to his widow Edmée Tesch. When Mme Tesch died in 1919, in the absence of direct heirs the property was bequeathed equally to Emile Mayrisch (the Director General of ARBED
Arbed
ARBED was a major Luxembourg-based steel and iron producing company. Created in 1911 after the merger of three steel producing companies, ARBED was a major actor in the economic history of the Grand-Duchy until it merged in 2002 with two other European steel companies to create Arcelor.- Origins ...
) and Gaston Barbanson. Barbanson bought Mayrisch's share in the property in 1923, and lived in the property until 10 May 1940, when Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invaded and occupied Luxembourg
German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II
The German occupation of Luxembourg in World War II was the period in the history of Luxembourg after it was used as a transit territory to attack France by outflanking the Maginot Line. Plans for the attack had been prepared by 9 October 1939, but execution was postponed several times...
. The Barbanson family fled south to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and from 1940-1944 the property was occupied by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. From October 1944 to September 1945 units of the US Army were stationed in the property.
When Barbanson died in 1946, his widow and daughter waived their rights of inheritance, and the property passed to a charitable fund set up in 1913 by Edmée Tesch. On 2 March 1948, the governing council of the fund decided to sell the property, and in 1949 a Belgian businessman bought the property for 4.2 million Belgian franc
Belgian franc
The franc was the currency of Belgium until 2002 when the euro was introduced into circulation. It was subdivided into centimes , 100 centiem or Centime .-History:...
s. From 1950-1956 the property was utilised as a hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
named Hôtel des Forges.
In 1956 the château was rented by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to allow their diplomatic mission in Luxembourg to open. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 the mission was attacked by a group of demonstrators, and the ground floor of the château sustained considerable damage. On 5 June 1973 the château and an adjacent 2.8 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
plot of land was sold to the Embassy of the Soviet Union for 8.5 million francs.
From 2005-2009 the château underwent extensive renovation and reconstruction, and the interiors were restored to their former glory. During the works, which cost some 4 million euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s, embassy staff worked temporarily in other buildings on the site. The ambassador, who normally utilised the château as his official residence, was also required to find other accommodations, and embassy functions were hosted in the Grand Théâtre. The damaged mosaics in the château were restored using expensive procedures; rotten wooden doors, walls and ceilings were reproduced; and the château was fitted with furniture manufactured in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and accessories purchased in the antiques markets. Emile Hengen of Tageblatt
Tageblatt
Tageblatt is a Luxembourgian daily newspaper, published in Esch-sur-Alzette by Editpress. It is the country's second-most popular newspaper, behind the rival d'Wort. It describes itself as the Zeitung fir Lëtzebuerg .In 2004, Tageblatt had a daily circulation of 17,106: about one-quarter that of...
called the renovated château the 'most magnificent' embassy in Luxembourg. In September 2009, the château was a major attraction of European Heritage Days
European Heritage Days
European Heritage Days is a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission involving all 50 signatory states of the European Cultural Convention under the motto, Europe: a common heritage. The annual programme offers opportunities to visit buildings, monuments and sites, many of...
in Luxembourg, and some 300 members of the public visited the property.