Jason Edwards – Interviews
Living in Luxembourg, I stumbled by chance upon an exhibition dedicated to the Luxembourgish volunteers who left to fight in the Korean War. It was impossible for me not to visit: this topic is rare, almost forgotten, and yet deeply intertwined with our shared history. I went to visit the exhibition at Villa Pauly, a landmark steeped in memory, and had the privilege of interviewing the director and curator of the National Museum of Military History (MNHM), Benoît Niederkorn, on July 24.
The exhibition tells the journey of 85 Luxembourgers who, in the early 1950s, chose to go defend a country they did not know. Through letters from the front, archives, family photographs, and artifacts brought back from Korea, visitors discover their motivations, their doubts, their commitment, and the way their stories fit into the broader relations between Luxembourg and the Republic of Korea. Today, only one of these veterans remains alive.
Jason Edwards: Could you briefly present the exhibition and what you wish to convey to the public through this spotlight on Luxembourgish volunteers in Korea?
Benoît Niederkorn: “I am the director and curator of the National Museum of Military History. This temporary and traveling exhibition dedicated to the Korean War was launched in 2023 at the museum in Diekirch. Our goal was to tell the story of a conflict that is often forgotten, not only in Luxembourg but around the world, caught between World War II and the Vietnam War. We wanted to explain how the war broke out, who held responsibility, the role of the United Nations, and Luxembourg’s commitment. The second part of the exhibition focuses on the 85 Luxembourgish volunteers: their motivations, their journeys, and the reasons that led them to fight in a distant country they knew nothing about.”
Why did you choose Villa Pauly, a site of memory deeply tied to World War II, to host an exhibition on the Korean War? What symbolic significance does this hold?
Benoît Niederkorn: “Villa Pauly is an iconic place of memory in Luxembourg, primarily linked to World War II. The Service for National Remembrance, with whom we work closely, deemed this venue particularly relevant. Located in the heart of the capital, near the Gëlle Fra—another major monument of remembrance—Villa Pauly carries strong symbolic weight. Luxembourgish Korean War veterans used to participate in national commemorations carrying their flag, affirming their status as combat veterans. Hosting the exhibition here bridges these different memories and serves as a reminder that the Luxembourgish Korean War volunteers are an integral part of our national history.”
Who were the Luxembourgish volunteers who fought in the Korean War, and which aspects of their journey did you want to highlight in this exhibition?
Benoît Niederkorn: “We conducted extensive scientific research to trace the journeys of all 85 Luxembourgish volunteers. We consulted archives and located 70 families worldwide, allowing us to gather letters, photos, personal documents, and occasionally conduct interviews. The objective was to tell the Korean War through their personal experiences: their motivations, testimonies, wartime letters, and the memories passed down by their loved ones.”
How does this exhibition contribute to strengthening the understanding of historical and diplomatic relations between Luxembourg and Korea?
Benoît Niederkorn: “This exhibition highlights a major point of commemoration between the two nations. Originally, it was the veterans themselves who sought to build ties with Korea. Diplomatic and economic relations followed afterwards. Today, we are in a transition phase: only one veteran remains with us. It now falls upon museums and institutions, both in Luxembourg and Korea, to carry forward this work of memory and pass down the history of these volunteers and the Korean War to future generations.”
Did you collaborate with Korean institutions or the volunteers' families during the preparation of this exhibition? If so, how did that collaboration go?
Benoît Niederkorn: “Our greatest success was the research conducted with the families. Out of the 85 volunteers, we located 70 families with whom we were able to share photo albums, documents, stories, and conduct recorded interviews. On the Korean side, collaboration was equally fruitful. The War Memorial of Korea in Seoul provided numerous artifacts and historical documents that we were able to feature prominently in the exhibition.”
What message would you like to convey to visitors regarding the memory of these Luxembourgish volunteers and their role in a conflict that remains largely unfamiliar here?
Benoît Niederkorn: “The essential message is to understand why these young Luxembourgers, born around the 1930s, volunteered to fight for a country they knew nothing about. Two of them lost their lives in Korea. Many had lived through the Nazi occupation of Luxembourg. They explained to us that they wanted to contribute to the liberation of another country enduring a similar tragedy. Their commitment was deeply tied to their own lived experience and their desire to defend freedom abroad.”
Is this exhibition part of a broader project of commemoration or cultural cooperation between Luxembourg and Korea? Do you foresee future initiatives?
Benoît Niederkorn: “Several initiatives have already been carried out alongside the exhibition’s curator, Elisabeth Einsweiler. We traveled to Korea to establish contacts with various partner institutions. We also organized a traveling exhibition at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul and developed partnerships to share objects and archival documents, jointly honoring this shared history.”