Luxembourg 1912 Film

A tour of Luxembourg City during the Belle Époque, a period characterised by optimism, regional peace, economic growth and prosperity, and technological, scientific, and cultural innovations. Only two years after this film was recorded, the outbreak of World War 1 would put a sudden end to this golden age. In 1912 Felix Medinger, owner of a cinema in Luxembourg-city, produced this film entitled “Picturesque Luxembourg”. The film invites the spectator on a tourist walk through the most beautiful places of the capital. First placed on a tram, the camera takes us from the station to the Grand Ducal Palace, via the viaduct spanning the Pétrusse valley. We then discover the weekly market at Place Guillaume II, the portal of the cathedral, monuments in honor of national poets as well as of Princess Amélie. Of particular interest are the views of the fish market, Large Street, St. Quirin Chapel, the Corniche, and the lower town districts. Further afield, 1912 was the year that saw "unsinkable" oceanliner Titanic sinks on maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg. The First Balkan War begins, that would end in a comprehensive and unmitigated disaster for the Ottomans, who lost 83% of their European territories. And in China, the Manchu Qing dynasty comes to an end after 268 years with the abdication of Emperor Puyi in favour of the Republic of China.