the steel doors of schuster line ordered closed on 10 may 1940 @ 03:15, following movements of german troops on east side of border rivers our, sauer , mosel. in meantime, german special forces dressed civilians , supported germans living in luxembourg - so-called stoßtrupp lützelburg - tried sabotage radio broadcasting , barricades along german-luxembourgish border attempt failed. royal family evacuated residence in colmar-berg grand ducal palace in luxembourg city.
the german invasion, made of 1st, 2nd, , 10th panzer divisions began @ 04:35. encountered no significant resistance save bridges destroyed , land mines, since majority of luxembourgish volunteer corps stayed in barracks. luxembourgish police resisted german troops, however, little avail; capital city being occupied before noon. total luxembourgish casualties amounted 75 police , soldiers captured, 6 police wounded, , 1 soldier wounded. @ 08:00, elements of french 3rd light cavalry division (fr) of general robert petiet (fr), supported 1st spahi brigade of colonel jouffault , 2nd company of 5th armoured battalion, crossed southern border conduct probe of german forces; these units later retreated behind maginot line. evening of 10 may 1940, of country, exception of south, occupied german forces. more 90,000 civilians evacuated canton of esch-sur-alzette consequence of advance. 47,000 fled france, 45,000 fled central , northern part of luxembourg.
grand duchess charlotte , government of prime minister pierre dupong fled france, portugal , united kingdom, before settling in canada duration of war. charlotte, exiled in london, became important symbol of national unity. eldest son , heir, jean, volunteered british army in 1942. official representative left behind albert wehrer (de), head of governmental commission, 41 members of chamber of deputies.
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