LUXEMBOURG MILLENNIUM IN CAMELOT ON AN APRIL DAY IN 963, COUNT SIGFROI, 
A WAGNERIAN WARRIOR FROM THE ARDENNES, RAISED HIS BANNER OVER A 
FORTRESS ON A FORMIDABLE ROCK ABOVE THE ALZETTE RIVER IN THE 
EASTERN FRANKISH EMPIRE . THOUGH SIGFROI'S WIFE SOON VANISHED SHE TURNED 
OUT TO BE A WATER NYMPH AND HIS FORTRESS CRUMBLED, THE 
FIEF HE FOUNDED PROVED AS DURABLE AS IT IS DIMINUTIVE . 
IT IS FORMALLY KNOWN TODAY AS THE GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG 
AND, THOUGH INTERNATIONAL SURVEYS OFTEN OMIT ITS STATISTICS ENTIRELY, IT IS 
A THRIVING CHARTER MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN COAL AND STEEL COMMUNITY 
AND THE COMMON MARKET, AS WELL AS THE SMALLEST COUNTRY IN 
THE UNITED NATIONS, IN WHOSE BEHALF IT SENT AN ARMED AND 
EAGER PLATOON TO KOREA IN 1951 . LAST WEEK, AS THEY 
MARKED THEIR COUNTRY'S 1,000TH ANNIVERSARY, THE SOLID, EASYGOING LUXEMBOURGEOIS LOOKED FORWARD 
TO A LONG SUMMER OF LOW-KEY CELEBRATION, INCLUDING A DOG SHOW, 
ENDLESS WINE FESTIVALS, AN INTERNATIONAL STAMP EXPOSITION, AND A VISIT BY 
TWO PLANELOADS OF KINFOLK FROM CHICAGO, WHICH IS SAID TO BOAST 
MORE LUXEMBOURGEOIS THAN LUXEMBOURG (POP . 320,000). THE MYSTERY IS WHY 
THEY EVER LEFT IN THE FIRST PLACE . DIAL 219-61 . 
THE GRAND DUCHY TODAY IS A SORT OF CONSTITUTIONAL CAMELOT . 
IT BOASTS 130 CASTLES (BUT NO UNIVERSITY), PRISTINE FORESTS WHERE WILD 
BOAR ARE STILL HUNTED, CRYSTALLINE RIVERS THAT TEEM WITH CRAYFISH, TROUT 
AND, OF COURSE, WATER NYMPHS . THE LUXEMBOURGEOIS, WHO ARE WALKING 
ADVERTISEMENTS FOR THEIR CUISINE (FAMED SPECIALTIES : THRUSH PIE AND PARTRIDGE 
CANAPE), BRAG THAT IT IS " FRENCH IN QUALITY, GERMAN IN 
QUANTITY . " IN OTHER RESPECTS AS WELL, THEY CLAIM TO 
HAVE EUROPE'S HIGHEST LIVING STANDARDS . THERE IS NEITHER UNEMPLOYMENT NOR 
SLUMS ; ILLITERACY WAS BANISHED IN 1847, AND THE DUCHY'S BOOMING 
STEEL INDUSTRY IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST PRODUCTIVE . " 
LUXEMBOURG, " ITS CITIZENS SAY WITH SATISFACTION, " BELONGS TO THE 
LUXEMBOURGEOIS . " POLITICALLY, LUXEMBOURG IS A FAMILYSTYLE DEMOCRACY IN WHICH 
STREET CLEANERS GREET THE PRIME MINISTER BY HIS FIRST NAME . 
IF A CITIZEN GETS MAD AT THE GOVERNMENT, HE HAS ONLY 
TO DIAL 219-61 TO HEAR A TELEPHONE OPERATOR REPLY, " THE 
GOVERNMENT, " AND DIRECT HIM PROMPTLY TO THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIAL . 
FOR ECONOMY'S SAKE, VIRTUALLY EVERY MEMBER OF THE CABINET RUNS AT 
LEAST TWO MINISTRIES . PREMIER PIERRE WERNER, 49, WHO IS ALSO 
MINISTER OF FINANCE, IS A GENIAL, TIRELESS CHRISTIAN SOCIALIST WHO BUSTLES 
AROUND THE COUNTRY IN AN ANCIENT OFFICIAL BUICK AS CONCERNEDLY AS 
IF THE GRAND DUCHY ALL 999 SQUARE MILES OF IT WERE 
ABOUT TO MELT AWAY ALTOGETHER . A LOT TO OFFER . 
ACTUALLY, POLITICAL CRISES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN IN PLACID LUXEMBOURG 
. THROUGH TACTFUL TREATMENT OF MINORITIES, THE GOVERNMENT HAS AVOIDED THE 
FATE OF NEIGHBORING BELGIUM, WHERE BITTER ANTAGONISMS BETWEEN FLEMISH AND FRENCH-SPEAKING 
CITIZENS ARE A CONSTANT THREAT TO STABILITY . THE LUXEMBOURGEOIS, WHO 
SPEAK FRENCH, GERMAN AND A GOBBLEDYDEUTSCH CALLED MOSEL-FRANKISCH, DO NOT EVEN 
HAVE AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE . THEY ARE 96.9 PER CENT CATHOLIC, 
BUT THE GOVERNMENT PAYS THE SALARIES OF THE COUNTRY'S SOLE RABBI 
AND ITS ONLY PROTESTANT MINISTER . EVEN THE COUNTRY'S FEW COMMUNISTS 
PROFESS LOYALTY TO THE ROYAL FAMILY . TITULAR HEAD OF STATE 
SINCE 1919 HAS BEEN THE HANDSOME, HIGHLY ESTEEMED GRAND DUCHESS CHARLOTTE, 
67, WHO LATER THIS MONTH WILL PAY HER FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT 
TO THE U.S . SINCE SHE ESCAPED IN WORLD WAR II 
TO HEAD HER GOVERNMENT IN EXILE . INDEED, THOUGH THEY PUT 
UP A HEROIC RESISTANCE AGAINST THE GERMANS IN TWO WORLD WARS, 
IN PEACETIME THE LUXEMBOURGEOIS KEEP TO THEMSELVES AS A MATTER OF 
PRINCIPLE . SOME WESTERN DIPLOMATS WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COUNTRY 
PLAY A MORE ASSERTIVE ROLE IN WORLD AFFAIRS . " THEY 
HAVE A LOT TO OFFER, " ARGUES ONE . " INTERNATIONALLY, 
LUXEMBOURG IS THE VOICE OF 20TH CENTURY EUROPEANISM, THE VOICE OF 
REASON IN THE COMMON MARKET, NATO AND THE U.N . BUT 
IT IS TOO MODEST . " IN FACT ONE OF PRESIDENT 
KENNEDY'S UNDERLYING REASONS FOR INVITING THE GRAND DUCHESS TO WASHINGTON IS 
TO SUGGEST THAT LUXEMBOURG SHOULD USE ITS MODERATING INFLUENCE MORE READILY 
. BUT THE LUXEMBOURGEOIS ARE NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE THEIR WAYS 
. / WHEN CATS FIGHT, " THEY EXPLAIN, " KITTENS SHOULD 
STAY OUT OF THE WAY . / MANY ALSO EMIGRATED TO 
NEW ENGLAND, NOTABLY FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT'S MATERNAL ANCESTORS, THE DELANOS (ORIGINALLY DELANOIS), 
WHOSE OLD CASTLE IN NORTHERN LUXEMBOURG NOW HOUSES A FIRST-CLASS HOTEL 
. 