ALUC 

Association luxembourgeoise des universitaires catholiques

Luxembourg Association of catholic academics

 

History

    The ALUC was founded in 1910 by a group of Catholic students, enthusiasts about the catholic revival that was taking place in the neighboring countries and in Luxembourg, where numerous Catholic associations were being set up early in the century . Inspired especially by the social doctrine of the Church, they were keen to establish a system of mutual assistance, both material and spiritual. In fact, as Luxembourg had no university, students should be educated abroad, mostly in France, Belgium and Germany. Funding for studies, problems with registration, housing and integration into a new environment were therefore normally part of the concerns of the ALUC. Together with the Assossa, she created the UNEL (National Union of students of Luxembourg) to define the claims of a trade union. In cities where there were many students from Luxembourg, there were often ALUC circles that met in a bar, or in the room of a student to discuss the current cultural, political and religious themes, or simply for a drink together. As future political and cultural elite of a country becoming democratic, the students were keen to give to the members of the new association, a religious, moral and political appropriate training. From the beginning a chaplain played a key organizing role.

The ALUC published from 1917 to 1977, a prestigious cultural magazine Academia, and contributes today in the quarterly “Nos cahiers”, which celebrated their 20th anniversary. Dissolved by the Nazis during the war, the association was relaunched in 1945. Even if the ALUC has always kept its political independence, its fate has often been linked to the Social Christian Party, the strongest party in Luxembourg since 1918. Many political figures, including several prime ministers, began their career with the ALUC. Today it is necessary for the active members to imagine original solutions for the future.