Near the northernmost tip of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

lies a village called Ophlingen in German and in French Tuvailliers, which in English means

three virgins. In 1914, one of the most important facts about Tuvaillers was that there stood the last railroad

station on the line that leads north through the Grand Duchy and on into Belgium.

A customs house also stood there for the collection of tariffs on imports coming into Luxembourg

from Belgium.

Most of the 1500 residents of Tuvailliers at the time

were employees of the station or the customs house or their dependents.

The other important fact about Tuvaliers in 1914 was known only to the German general staff.

It was that this village was the first objective

on Schlieffen's intricate six-week master plan for the German conquest of France.

Welcome to the history of the 20th century.

The of the 20th century. Episode 82

No, whatever the consequences.

As soon as the Kaiser ordered German mobilization, the machinery was put into motion for a massive

offensive in the West that would begin with the German seizure of Tuvailliers.

The railroad station was no doubt important, but Tuvailliers also had a telegraph office, which was the nexus for communications

between Germany and Belgium. On August 1, 1914, at 7 o'clock in the evening, the first frontier

crossing of the Great War took place.

A detachment of German soldiers from the 69th Infantry Regiment under the command of a Lieutenant

Feldman crossed into northern Luxembourg by automobile through the hilly cow pastors of the southern

Ardennes and quickly took control of the unsuspecting village without opposition.

...