This week, the old folk song “D’Meedche vu Goetzingen” kept running through my mind — not by coincidence, but because I am currently writing an academic paper on this very piece as part of my studies. Many Luxembourgers grew up with this song, and I am no exception. Whenever I hear it, I immediately think of my Luxembourgish grandmother and how she used to sing this and other traditional songs with us grandchildren. 

Between New Year and Easter, a special season begins in many Luxembourgish villages: Theater a Kabarettzäit. While winter still lies quietly outside, the cultural centres, school halls and village venues fill with life. It is the time when neighbours step onto the stage, when everyday stories are told with humour, wit and a lot of heart — and when Luxembourgish comes alive in all its nuances.   

Theatre and cabaret in Luxembourg are far more than entertainment. They are community, tradition and linguistic culture all at once. 

Edmond de la Fontaine, known as Dicks, wrote “D’Meedche vu Goetzingen” in the 19th century, capturing that blend of humour, tenderness and everyday storytelling that defines so much of Luxembourg’s cultural voice. A few decades later, in 1923, Max Goergen transformed the song into a theatre play — a beautiful example of how stories in Luxembourg move from mouth to mouth, from song to stage, from one generation to the next. 

It reminded me how deeply theatre and cabaret are woven into our cultural fabric, especially in these winter months.

Theatre in the villages

Across Luxembourg, village theatre groups have a long and cherished tradition. Many grew out of singing societies, youth groups or local cultural committees. What makes them so special? 

• A living tradition: Many villages stage a play every year – a fixed highlight in the local calendar. 
• Language as identity: Performances are almost always in Luxembourgish, often coloured by regional expressions and accents. 
• Humour from everyday life: The plays lovingly poke fun at village life – family quirks, local politics, neighbourly adventures. 
• A social gathering: These evenings bring everyone together – grandparents, parents, children, neighbours. 
• Local communication: In many communities, flyers are still delivered directly into letterboxes or announced in Social Media, announcing performance dates and explaining how and where to reserve seats. 

Tickets often sell out quickly, because nothing replaces the joy of laughing together in the same room. 

Cabaret – Luxembourgish humour with a sharp wink 

Cabaret in Luxembourg has its own unmistakable flavour. It blends social observation, political satire, linguistic playfulness and musical elements 

Luxembourgish is the perfect tool for this kind of humour – expressive, rhythmic, full of nuance. Cabaret evenings in winter have become a cultural ritual: a moment to look at ourselves with affection, irony and clarity. 

Why this time of year? 

The season between New Year and Easter has become the natural home for theatre and cabaret. People are ready for cosy evenings indoors. Local associations plan their cultural year around this period. And, it’s the perfect “indoor culture season” before festivals and openair events begin. 

It’s also a time when communities reconnect after the holidays – and theatre offers the perfect stage for that. 

Word of the Week 

• Word: Theater 
• IPA: [teˈaːtɐ] 
• Origin: from Greek theátron, meaning “place for viewing”; entered Luxembourgish via German and French 
• Example: "Mir ginn an den Theater haut den Owend." It means: "We’re going to the theater tonight." 

Theatre and cabaret are mirrors of our culture: spontaneous, warm, humorous and deeply human. They show how alive Luxembourgish becomes when it is spoken, sung, performed and shared with joy. 

I hope this glimpse into our winter theatre season inspires you to attend a local performance — or perhaps even step onto the stage yourself. 

– Isabelle Frisch-Koopmans 

• This article is part of our “Inside Luxembourg” series, celebrating the stories, flavours and traditions that shape our local culture.