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Daniel Atz builds a bridge between America and Luxembourg
Read the original article at L'essentiel →
Daniel Atz helps Americans of Luxembourgish origin obtain citizenship and rediscover their roots.
Original Article in French: https://www.lessentiel.lu/fr/story/recherche-d-identite-daniel-atz-jette-un-pont-entre-l-amerique-et-le-luxembourg-103396406
by Ramona Müller
For American Daniel Atz (center), Luxembourg has a very special meaning. LuxCitizenship
Obtaining Luxembourg citizenship: Daniel Atz has helped more than 2,200 Americans achieve this dream. Originally from Nebraska, the founder of Luxcitizenship helps his clients navigate the lengthy process of acquiring dual citizenship. He himself obtained Luxembourg citizenship more than ten years ago through his great-grandmother.
“She had an incredibly difficult life in the United States. She arrived after the First World War and was treated like a German. She was terribly mistreated,” says Daniel Atz. When her great-grandfather died in 1929, this woman from Esch-sur-Alzette found herself alone. “Her family wanted nothing to do with this foreigner. She had to put her children in an orphanage.”
“Luxembourg is my family.” Daniel Atz, founder of Luxcitizenship.
Daniel Atz Meets Long Lost Family| Luxembourg Dual Citizenship
Despite all the obstacles, she worked hard and gradually got her children back. This part of his family history is very moving for him: “Without this strong woman, I wouldn’t be here today.” Today, Daniel Atz has also reconnected with his Luxembourg family, who contacted him after RTL told his story. “They called and said, ‘She’s our favorite aunt,'” he says.
His family makes the Grand Duchy a very special place for Daniel Atz, but so does the country’s multilingualism. “It’s the only place in the world where I feel so at home as a multilingual American.” He speaks fluent English, French, Portuguese, and Mandarin, as well as a little Luxembourgish. Of these five languages, Luxembourgish is the most difficult for him. At first, he had trouble understanding his family because they didn’t speak the standard Luxembourgish he was learning, but a dialect from Esch. In Luxembourg, thirty kilometers is enough to make a big difference in terms of language. “The language reflects the complexity of the country itself quite well.”
His Luxembourgish nationality also gives him a unique position in the world. “For example, millions of people have already documented what it means to be American or French, but many people have never met anyone from Luxembourg.” This gives him the opportunity to share the history and culture of the Grand Duchy. “With a larger country, it would certainly be different,” he believes.
Around 500 applications for Luxembourg citizenship are currently being processed by Daniel Atz and his team. “It’s incredible to connect people with their own history. Many have never thought about their ancestors.” Seeing in black and white that an ancestor from another country once existed is a very moving experience for most people. “It happened to me too,” explains Mr. Atz. Thanks to his work, he has been able to help many people reconnect with their past and learn things about themselves that they would never have known otherwise.
Luxembourgers in Argentina
It is not only the United States that has a large number of people of Luxembourgish origin. There are also many in South America, particularly in Brazil. But there are also Luxembourgers in Argentina. Daniel Atz is currently working on a documentary about Argentinians of Luxembourgish origin who wish to obtain citizenship or who have already done so successfully. Here is a short trailer.
Lëtzebuerger an Argentinien – Film Trailer 2025
English translation
For American Daniel Atz (center), Luxembourg holds a very special significance.
For American Daniel Atz (center), Luxembourg holds a very special significance. LuxCitizenship
Obtaining Luxembourgish citizenship: Daniel Atz has enabled more than 2,200 Americans to realize this dream. A native of Nebraska, the founder of the company LuxCitizenship helps his clients navigate the lengthy process of acquiring dual citizenship. He himself obtained Luxembourgish citizenship over ten years ago, through his great-grandmother.
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"She lived an incredibly difficult life in the United States. She arrived after the First World War and was treated there as a German. She was terribly mistreated," recounts Daniel Atz. When her great-grandfather passed away in 1929, this woman—originally from Esch-sur-Alzette—found herself all alone. "Her family wanted nothing to do with this foreigner. She had to place her children in an orphanage."
"Luxembourg is my family"
Daniel Atz, founder of LuxCitizenship.
Despite all the obstacles, she worked hard and gradually managed to get her children back. This part of his family history is deeply moving for him: "Without this strong woman, I wouldn't exist." Today, Daniel Atz has also reconnected with his Luxembourgish family, who contacted him after RTL broadcast his story. "They called and said: 'That's our favorite aunt,'" he says.
His family makes the Grand Duchy a very special place for Daniel Atz—as does the country's multilingualism. "It is the only place in the world where I feel so particularly at home as a polyglot American." He speaks fluent English, French, Portuguese, and Mandarin, as well as a little Luxembourgish. Of these five languages, it is Luxembourgish that gives him the most trouble. At first, he struggled to understand his family, as they did not speak the standard Luxembourgish he was learning, but rather a dialect from Esch. In Luxembourg, a mere thirty kilometers is enough to make a significant linguistic difference. "The language reflects the complexity of the country itself quite well."
His Luxembourgish citizenship also affords him a unique standing in the world. "For instance, millions of people have already documented what it means to be American or French, yet many people have never met anyone from Luxembourg." This gives him the opportunity to raise awareness of the Grand Duchy's history and culture. "With a larger country, it would certainly be different," he observes.
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Approximately 500 applications for Luxembourgish citizenship are currently being processed by Daniel Atz and his team. "It is incredible to connect people with their own history. Many have never given a thought to their ancestors." Seeing—in black and white—that an ancestor from another country actually existed is a deeply moving experience for most people. "That happened to me, too," explains Mr. Atz. Through his work, he has been able to help numerous individuals reconnect with their past and discover things about themselves that they would never have learned otherwise.