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Jacques Santer, the prime minister of Luxembourg from 1984 to 1995, visited the Rollingstone Luxembourg Heritage Museum with about 30 other guests from Luxembourg.
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Jacques Santer, second from left, tours the Luxembourg Heritage Museum on Saturday in Rollingstone, Minn. Santer is a former prime minister of Luxembourg from 1984 to 1995. (Photo by Paul Solberg/Winona Daily News) |
Jean Kalmes, the director and curator of the museum, said many prominent Luxembourgers visit Rollingstone each year, because many immigrants of that nation settled in the region in the 19th century. In fact, four or five tours visited last year.
Rollingstone Mayor Dick Gaffron was there to greet Santer, who became head of the European Commission in 1995.
“I think it’s really neat,” Gaffron said.
Tyler Speltz, an 18-year-old who lives on a farm outside of Rollingstone, shared the enthusiasm.
“I can’t say I have met anyone of his importance,” Speltz said.
As Santer and the other guests stepped off the chartered tour bus, they shook everyone’s hands and entered the museum. Once inside, Kalmes and her son John led two groups through the museum.
Santer said this was his first time to the region and that this visit is very important.
It was interesting for him to see how the immigrants from Luxembourg have shaped this part of the country in the past two centuries and how they live their lives today, he said.
Santer and the other visitors will finish their tour of the region today with a visit to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona and dinner at Signatures Restaurant.
