The Rise of Luxembourg from Independence to Success

How did a small stretch of land in the heart of Europe appear on the continent in 1815 and less, than sixty years later, become an independent country? How did Luxembourg emerge from the political turbulences of the half of the 20th century stronger than before? How did Luxembourg develop into one of the world's prosperous countries, playing an active role in the European Union, despite having an economy totally dependent on the outside world? How did a genuinely cosmopolitan melting pot emerge from a rural background? This historical portrait of Luxembourg during the past two hundred years of its history undertakes to answer these questions by analysing the decisive factors and actors in this radical metamorphosis. Was the Grand Duchy's success due to historical accidents, key personalities its European connection or the availability of talents?