Nicolas FRANTZ
Nicolas FRANTZ, born on November the 4th 1899 in Mamer, was one of the greatest cycling champions of all time. He celebrated his greatest successes in the Tour de France.
Nicolas FRANTZ wore the yellow jersey from the first (following his victory in 1927) to the last stage in 1928 and his supremacy was such that, for his followers in Luxembourg, the Tour de France changed its name to “Tour de … Frantz”.
Nicolas FRANTZ died on November the 8th 1985 in Luxembourg.
Achievements:
Tour de France
1927 Winner, 5340 km in 198h 16′ 42″, average time 26.931
1928 Winner, 5476 km in 192h 48′ 58″, average time 28.400
1924 2nd place
1926 2nd place
Stage wins: 20
Days in yellow jersey: 37
Other major successes
1926 Tour of the Basque Country
1927 Paris-Brussels
1928 Paris-Tours
Luxembourg road champion: 1923 – 1934
2nd and 3rd at the world road championships in 1929 and 1932.
Other cycling activities
Technical director of the Luxembourg team in the Tour de France from 1949 to 1957
President of Velo-Sport Mamer from 1946 to 1985
International honours
Winner of the “Guidon d’or” in 1976
Grande plaquette de la fidélité du Tour de France (posthumously) in 1989
Josy BARTHEL
Born on April the 24th 1927 in Mamer, Josy BARTHEL gave Luxembourg its only gold medal in a sports competition at the Olympic Games, in Helsinki on July the 26th 1952 in the 1500m. In this event, he set a new Olympic record in 3.45.2, ahead of Robert McMillen (USA) and Werner Lueg (West Germany).
From 1973 to 1977 he was president of the Luxembourg Olympic and Sports Committee (C.O.S.L.).
A qualified chemical engineer by profession and Commissioner for Water Protection, he was Minister from September the 16th 1977 to December the 20th 1984 (Responsibilities: Transport, Energy, Environment, Tourism, Communications).
Josy BARTHEL died on July the 7th 1992 in Luxembourg.
Henri KIRPACH
Henri KIRPACH, born on March the 2nd 1841 in Mamer, established himself as a lawyer in Luxembourg in 1865 after studying in München, Heidelberg and Paris. In 1875, at the age of 34, he was elected deputy for the Canton of Capellen. On August the 6th 1878, he joined the government of the Minister of State, Baron Félix de Blochhausen, as Director General of the Interior. He attached his name to the law of April the 20th 1881, concerning compulsory education. On January the 9th 1910, he left the Government to join the Conseil d’Etat.
Henri Kirpach died on 26 April 1911 in Luxembourg.
Nicolaus MAMERANUS
On December the 6th 1500 the town’s most eminent son Nikolaus Wagner was born in Mamer A soldier and chronicler to Emperor Charles V, he took the name Nicolaus Mameranus in 1533.
In 1543, the Duke of Orléans laid siege to the stronghold of Luxembourg. The soldiers, in search of food, destroyed the village. Nikolaus Mameranus intervened with the Emperor to have the village rebuilt.
In 1555, as the ultimate reward, the Emperor conferred on him the title of “poeta laureatus”.
His elder brother, Heinrich, founded a publishing house in Cologne, where he printed his famous brother’s works.
Nicolas FLENER
Nicolas Flener was born in Mamer in 1879. Head of department at Luxembourg Railways, councillor and alderman of the municipality of Mamer, he is the author of numerous plays. Self-taught and passionate about history, he reconstructed the entire history of our commune in his book “Aus der Geschichte der Ortschaft Mamer”.
He died in 1968.
Henri TRAUFFLER
Born in Bigonville in 1890, Henri Trauffler was a teacher in Mamer from 1913 to 1951. Until his death in 1971, he was involved in cultural activities in Mamer, which became his second home. The author of numerous plays, he is regarded as the pioneer of children’s theatre in the Luxembourg language.
The creator of the children’s newspaper “Die Morgenglocken”, which he edited from 1921 to 1931, he brought joy to many children before the Second World War. We should not forget to mention his play “Nikolaus Mameranus”, written and performed to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of this eminent son of Mamer.
Nicolas STOFFEL
Nicolas Stoffel, a resident of Mamer and a primary school inspector, devoted his entire life, until his death in 1981, to the cause of disabled people. Although he himself was tested by fate, he never gave in to resignation and campaigned for a higher form of solidarity born of respect for others. As president and founder of the Ligue H.M.C., he led a pioneering campaign that resulted in some major achievements:
- creation of the first H.M.C. classes
- creation of the first medical and vocational institute
- creation of the first sheltered workshop
- creation of the first Centre d’Aide par le Travail in Capellen.
