“Buick 90, a witness to national history”

The Buick 90 has an extraordinary story, which gives it particular historical importance. Acquired in 1938 by the Grand Ducal Court, this prestigious vehicle served as the family’s official limousine.

Its true historical significance lies in its crucial role in May 1940, when it was used as the escape vehicle for the Grand Ducal family during the German invasion of Luxembourg. On the night from 9 to 10 May 1940, Prince Félix and his children fled aboard this Buick to France, then through Spain and Portugal, before reaching exile in the United States.

Grand Duchess Charlotte, however, was not in the car. On 9 May, as soon as the imminent approach of German troops became clear, she had already sent her husband and children out of the country. True to her duty and deeply attached to her people, she chose to remain until the very last moment before also leaving Luxembourg. This car, therefore, stands as a true witness to that dramatic and decisive page of Luxembourg’s national history.

The Buick 90 is displayed at the National Conservatory of Historic Vehicles (CNVH) due to its exceptional importance in Luxembourg’s history. As the country’s only automotive museum, CNVH has the privilege and responsibility to make this historic vehicle accessible to the public. Since the museum’s opening in 2004, the Buick has held a central place in our collection – a great source of pride.

We are currently preparing a brand-new permanent exhibition designed to showcase this vehicle in a way that honours its national and historical significance. Due to these preparations, the Buick is temporarily not on display. However, we are confident that visitors will once again be able to admire it in its new setting by the end of the year.

Indeed, the prestigious Buick 90 recently left the National Conservatory of Historic Vehicles for a very special visit to Berg Castle, the official residence of His Royal Highness the Grand Duke. The reason was both historical and symbolic.

As part of our new exhibition dedicated to this emblematic vehicle, we wanted to pay tribute to a particular moment in Grand Ducal history. There exists a beautiful photograph from 1938/1939 showing the then heir to the throne, the future Grand Duke Jean, proudly posing next to this very Buick 90 in the courtyard of Berg Castle.

We sought to recreate that historic scene as faithfully as possible. The Buick 90 was carefully positioned in front of the castle and photographed from the exact same angle as in the original picture, by professional photographers to recapture the timeless magic of that moment.

After this moving and history-filled moment, the Buick 90 returned to our conservatory in Diekirch. It now patiently awaits the opening of its new permanent exhibition, where it will once again tell visitors the story that connects automotive heritage with the history of the Grand Ducal family.

At present, CNVH does not own other vehicles that belonged to the Grand Ducal family. However, we proudly display a carriage that once belonged to the family. This carriage is even more fascinating because its history is directly linked to the very building that today houses our museum.

This building was once home to the famous Jean Wagner Garage, today better known as a Mercedes dealership. Originally, in 1871, Jean Wagner began here in Diekirch as a carriage manufacturer. The carriage we display is therefore especially precious, as it is the only one we can confirm with certainty was locally built in the Jean Wagner workshops.