When the trimmings went forever
On Saturday, Schengen celebrated the signing of the Schengen Agreement 40 years ago on Saturday. In the meantime, the signing of the contract on June 14, 1985 initially had little tangible effects for the population. Customs and border policemen continued to show the ID cards. It should still take ten years for the legal and practical preparations to be completed and the nimble trees really opened.
It was only on March 26, 1995 that in Luxembourg, the person checks finally fell away on the borders. This event was ceremoniously celebrated 30 years ago-by the way, also on board the MS Princesse Marie-Astrid. « The free passenger traffic inside of ‘Schengenland’ becomes a reality and the name of the pretty Moselle community with it world famous, » cheered the « Luxembourg word » the following day.
On March 26, 1995, MEP Karl von Wogau (center), MP Viviane Reding and Minister Robert Goebbels (right) in Schengen celebrated the open borders. Photo: Teddy Jaans/LW archive
« The mood was good »
The Luxembourg population enthusiastically took up the open borders in 1995. In previous years, the view had prevailed that the personal checks had survived and offered little practical benefits, but had a lot of personnel effort. Lucien Max from Bürmeringen can still remember the day 30 years ago when the nimble trees opened. « The mood among the population was good, everyone was looking forward to it, » says Lucien Max today.
The border region was far from being intertwined 30 years ago as it is today. At that time there were much fewer cross -border commuters and the Luxembourgers rarely drove to Germany, says Lucien Max. « The average family got into the car a few times a year to shop in Trier. Trier had a large selection of clothing shops at the time. You bought in Luxembourg for everyday needs. That only changed later when the shopping markets in Perl opened. »
The risk that a freedom for crooks and criminals will be consistently countered.
Viviane Reding
MP and journalist
However, the enthusiasm for the open borders also mixed with normal citizens that criminals could no longer be intercepted at the borders. The journalist and MP Viviane Reding analyzed in 1995: « Although the citizens can now move freely within the borders of the seven Schengen countries, the protection instruments of internal security are not yet optimal.
Sometimes the officials of the administration of the Douanes Et Accises in three-shift operation checked the border crossings. Photo: LW archive
Remorance for Douanes et Accises
The loss of customs controls also questioned the self -image of the customs officers. At the larger border crossings, they had checked the cars around the clock in three eight-hour shifts. Around 1,000 criminals searched with arrest warrant went online and abroad. After the controls were absorbed, the tasks of the administration of the Douanes et Accises changed, which focused on freight traffic, on food safety, undeclared work and the fight against drug smuggling.
Juncker: border controls must not become normal condition
The implementation of the Schengen Agreement also meant the dead bell for many « Douanes-Haisercher » along the Luxembourg borders. Many have now disappeared, only architecturally beautiful, such as in Echternach, or historically significant, as in Bad Mondorf. Some got a new purpose, such as the common German-Luxemburg customs station opposite Remich. This now houses the « Grenz Kebab ». In Schengen itself, the customs house on the Luxembourg side of the Schengen bridge soon went to the collar. In 1996 it was demolished in favor of a new access.
