WOMEN IN FOND-DE-GRAS: A STORY OF CHANGE

Translated version:

When people talked about Fond-de-Gras in the 1950s, they primarily thought of iron ore mining. This physically demanding and dangerous work had, since the law of 1876 banning the employment of women and girls in Luxembourgish mines, been exclusively reserved for men. In Fond-de-Gras, apart from the “Giedel”, women were rarely seen.

The end of iron ore extraction and the closure of the last mine in Fond-de-Gras in 1955, as well as the founding of the Train 1900 association in 1970, marked the beginning of a new era where women gradually found their place here. More than 50 years later, a significant change is noticeable. At the beginning of 2024, around 20 women and girls are active as volunteers, employees, or board members in the three associations residing in Minett Park Fond-de-Gras.

The first woman to work in the cultural and tourist offerings of Train 1900 was Mrs. Gaby Wolter. Active as a volunteer since 1982 at Train 1900, she was decorated in 2022 with the Order of Merit from the municipality of Pétange. In an interview, we asked her how she joined Train 1900, what her tasks were and are, what motivates her to continue volunteering after more than 40 years, if she faced any difficulties as a woman in an entirely male domain, and what advice she would give to young women and girls wanting to engage in similar fields.

Gaby Wolter: A pioneer

“After visiting Train 1900 for the first time in 1982 with a friend, I decided in 1983 to become an active member of the association – I drove a railcar for a short time and started selling tickets. At the very beginning, we were set up in Rodange with two chairs, a table, and a parasol. Then I spent three years in a hut near the level crossing in Pétange, because the train only ran up to there and since 2003, we have the Poste 4 in Pétange, at the station, which is a proper office with a counter, much more pleasant.

What motivates me after more than 40 years of association life – including 20 years on the committee and 15 years as secretary – is still the same as what pushed me to start: I enjoy it! It’s just fun and I enjoy communicating with people, seeing the machines in operation – especially number 12, my favorite machine – when many people come to experience it and when everything ultimately works as it should.

The only time I really felt that I was a woman in a male domain was 30 years ago when I learned to drive the railcar and it wasn’t really accepted, which made me stop. But fortunately, times have changed. Today’s generations of men have grown up differently from those 30 years ago and this non-acceptance is no longer a problem with us. Proof of this is Doris and Caroline, the first two women to pass the fireman’s exam in the association and then drive steam locomotives.

To the young girls and women who want to engage in a male-dominated field, I would advise them to simply be themselves and do their work well – acceptance will come naturally.”

One of these young girls is Charlotte Blard. At 12 years old, she decided to become a member of the Minièresbunn Doihl association, becoming the youngest active member of Minett Park. We asked Charlotte how she got there, what her motivations are, what she expects from this volunteering, if she faced any difficulties because of her gender in this rough environment of mines, locomotives, and many men, and how she deals with it.

Charlotte Blard: The offspring

“The first time was in the spring of 2023, when I went with my grandfather to visit the mine and I was immediately excited by the mine and the electric, steam, and diesel locomotives. My interest was there. During the train ride, I noticed a poster inviting visitors to become volunteers. So, I contacted the association and on Sunday, June 4, 2023, I started my volunteering at Minièresbunn.

My motivations for volunteering are multiple: cultural diversity, contact with tourists from different cultures, bringing the past to life, and the friendliness of the association’s members, to name a few. What makes me particularly happy and what I expect most from this volunteering is mainly discovering new things and participating in the organization of various events.

I haven’t encountered any difficulties with the men in the association yet. They are all very friendly and behave very respectfully towards me.”

At 84 years old, Ms. Anny Antony is not the longest-active female member of Train 1900, but she is certainly the oldest. Her commitment, however, has not diminished despite this respectable age and as fit as she is, the association will be able to count on her tireless dedication for a long time. She explained her motivation to us as follows:

Anny Antony: An active witness of the time

“I was born in 1940, grew up with steam trains and have always been passionate about them. At that time, people didn’t have cars. We took the bus and the train or the tram. Even the police rode bicycles. When my son started being active at Train 1900, I always helped when needed and after my husband’s death almost 15 years ago, I went there almost every Sunday. As long as it’s possible, as long as I’m healthy, I’ll continue.”

Important decisions concerning the Minett Park site are made behind the scenes by the board of directors. This board was chaired from April 2022 to April 2024 by a woman, Ms. Laurence Brasseur, representative of the Ministry of Culture on the board of Minett Park. We asked Ms. Brasseur how she experienced this period, how she sees the current and future role of women in a field like Luxembourgish industrial culture, and what advice she wishes to give to young girls and women from her personal experience.

Laurence Brasseur: Female leadership

“My mandate as President of Minett Park asbl was an enriching and intense time. Enriching, because as President, I could perhaps contribute a bit more to the Board of Directors than usual. Intense, because there were several changes within the asbl, particularly in personnel and the new management. There was a lot to do and undertake, which brought me great joy.

To answer the question of how I see the role of women in a historically male-dominated field such as industrial culture in Luxembourg, I would like to add a slight nuance. It is said that industry is traditionally a male domain, and this is indeed true, but it is also a matter of perspective.

If we focus on individuals who were actively employed throughout history, everything naturally seems more male-dominated. This is evident with men who worked in the mines, and a similar narrative is observed when discussing war. We talk about the soldiers. But society has always consisted of half women, who also contributed to society: perhaps more in the background at home, but not exclusively. Women also worked.

Therefore, it is a matter of perspective, and I think it is important today to try to make women more visible. For example, when considering the role of women in Minett Park asbl, one sees that it is still heavily male-dominated – both in the team (1:3) and on the Board of Directors (1:11) there is an imbalance between women and men. I do not believe it is really intentional by men to reduce the presence of women, but perhaps there is not enough awareness among them to pay attention to this, such as when appointing members to a Board of Directors. I think our task is to continue this awareness work and ensure our voices are heard.

Therefore, it is all the more important and interesting to emphasize, as already mentioned in the question, that in the field of industrial culture, here in Luxembourg and at this moment, some women are taking up positions where they have the opportunity to cast a different light on history. They can now highlight stories that have remained somewhat more hidden until now.

For the future, to have women represented in all areas of society, and based on my personal and professional experience, I would particularly like to tell girls and young women to simply do what they enjoy and not follow the path that might be expected of them, both in their private and professional lives. If they are unsure, they should surround themselves with people who support them or join those who are already doing so – because there is so much to learn.”

As can be clearly seen in this current snapshot from the perspective of four women active at Minett Park, Fond-de-Gras has experienced a paradigm shift over the last decades: Where it was previously forbidden by law for women to be active, it is now a normal sight to see women engaging and enjoying bringing a past to life in a place where they were previously not welcome.

Another of these active women is certainly Ms. Robyn Wehles. In January 2023, after nine years of holding various positions within the administration of Minett Park, she assumed the role of director. In the interview, she tells us about her experiences with the women at Fond-de-Gras and the opportunities available to them in the two associations – Minièresbunn and Train 1900.

Robyn Wehles: A committed perspective

“In the 10 years I have been active at Fond-de-Gras, the proportion of women has increased. I am proud to have met so many interesting and highly committed women here. We are fortunate to have two great and diverse teams of volunteers from all backgrounds – young and old, women and men, craftsmen or not – at Fond-de-Gras. There are so many areas where one can be active here, everyone finds their place.

Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to especially motivate the girls and young women to come and see for themselves on one of our open days. Maybe someone will find here that certain something they have been looking for but have not found anywhere else. Because to be quite honest, the charm and atmosphere of this hidden valley in the middle of nature and the community that has developed here are not easily found a second time in our beautiful little country.”

Those who are more interested in the role of the strong women who stood behind the strong miners and supported them vigorously in their daily lives are warmly invited to visit the exhibition “Aus Eisen” by the Luxembourgish artist Martine Federmeyer-Gwynne, which will be displayed from July 18 to September 15, 2024, in the Hall Paul Wurth. This project is an homage by the artist to her family, her grandparents, and great-grandparents, whose lives were shaped by work in the iron ore industry and whose work, and lives helped shape Luxembourg.

This article was written by a man.