The
site of today's Centre national de littérature was first
recorded in the 16th century when it was owned by the Hochgerichts-Meyer
family of Udingen.
The
main house, as it presents itself today, was built between 1780
and 1788 by the notary Philippe Servais (1738-1801).
During
the French Revolution the house is used as a hostel and Austrian
soldiers often lodge here. After the Revolution, Philippe Servais'
son Antoine (1778-1859) installs the first steam engine in the site's
distillery (1829).
In
1832 he acquires the metallurgical plants in Weilerbach, together
with the manor house and the surrounding land.
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His son Philippe (1810-1890) later succeeds
him as owner of the plants.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the
Servais family develops a strong interest in the ceramic and
heavy industries in several countries
Antoine
Servais has two more sons:
Joseph
Servais and Emmanuel Servais, who is no doubt the most well-known member of this family.
Emmanuel
Servais is born in Mersch in 1811. After finishing his law
studies, he starts a flourishing political career:
He
successively becomes president of the Chamber of Deputies,
president of the gouvernment, president of the State Council
and mayor of the City of Luxembourg.
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Philippe Servais
Photograph by Marcel Schroeder from a portrait by Fr. Seimetz
(1888)
courtesy of Juliette Servais
Emmanuel Servais took part in formulating the four constitutions
of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (1841, 1848, 1856 and 1868)
and signed the London Treaty of 1867 together with Victor
de Tornaco. |
Although
Emmanuel Servais is not well-known as an author, he nevertheless
published some insightful studies on the Roman institutions before
the Second Punic War, numerous articles, speeches, a diary and his
autobiography, which was recently re-edited by the Fondation Servais.
The
Servais Mansion, with the "small distillery"
and the straw-basket works, as represented
on Auguste Servais' letter-paper, ca. 1900.
Emmanuel
Servais' brother Joseph (1819-1890) is the founder of a sugar plant
in Mersch, called "Société Anonyme Sucrière
du Luxembourg".
At
the end of the 19th century, Joseph Servais' son Auguste sen. (1865-1922)
establishes the "large distillery of Mersch" on the premises.
Picture
taken ca. 1905, attributed to the photographer Edmond Hansen.
To the left, the former distillery.
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The last members of the Servais family to
live in the mansion are the notary Auguste Servais jun. (1901-1970),
grand-son of Joseph Servais, and his sister Jeanne Servais
(1899-1985).
Auguste Servais, called Men, establishes
his notary study on the ground floor of the Servais Mansion.
The notary dies a bachelor in 1970.
After
the death of Auguste jun., Jeanne Servais lives on her own
in the mansion. In 1971 she has central heating installed
on the ground floor where she resides.
Thanks
to Jeanne Servais' initiative, the Servais Mansion is included
in the inventory of the national sites and monuments in 1974.
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Auguste
Servais
1901-1970
Jeanne Servais
23.11.1899 Mersch - 19.04.1985 Mersch
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In
the hope of keeping the Servais Mansion intact for the future, Jeanne
Servais decides to bequeath her property to the Municipality of
Mersch upon her death on April 19th 1985.
In
accordance with a law passed on December 29th 1988, the Municipality
of Mersch and the State of Luxembourg perform an exchange: Mersch
Castle becomes a property of the Municipality of Mersch, and in
turn the Servais Mansion passes into the hands of the State.
In
1990, the gouvernement declares the Servais Mansion a national monument.
The
Servais Mansion in Mersch -
the future Centre National de Littérature
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The mansion
in 1962
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