(Re)discover our city – Sternberg department store

Think you know our capital well? Well, let's see about that! Some of the buildings that you walk past on a regular basis have a special story behind them. Dr Robert L. Philippart is a true expert on the subject and will take you through the city to uncover these hidden stories, giving you a new way of looking at some of our emblematic buildings. 

Sternberg department store

The Sternberg Frères department store still has a place in Luxembourgers’ hearts. From 1909 to 1988, this brand – specialising in the sale of household goods, commercial kitchen equipment, crockery, glassware and toys – provided one of the capital’s major department stores and was a flagship for family business success for decades. Its success also owes a lot to team spirit, as it grew from 5 employees in 1909 to 150 in 1973! The majority of employees were women. The existence of an Association for former employees is testament to their good relationships. For customers, the Sternberg department store was more than just a place to buy various household items or children’s toys. Themed events consistently attracted crowds, such as Semaine Américaine spotlighting American products and Gepflegte Tischrunde promoting crockery, glassware and cutlery. Radio Télévision Luxembourg recorded several shows there in the 1960s, including Le Tirelipot with its prize draw. In the 1970s, special evenings organised with several other Ville Haute brands gave the city new life. The Sternberg department store was directly involved in the community, supporting various local projects, such as the construction of the Kannerklinik children’s hospital, road safety schemes for children, and sporting events, such as the 1979 Skateboard Slalom tournament organised in cooperation with the Fédération Luxembourgeoise de Skateboard. Sternberg was also a children’s paradise, and not just when Father Christmas came around and you left the store the proud owner of a branded photo of the two of you. An entire floor was reserved for beautifully arranged toys. Children’s drawing competitions were held there and some afternoons visiting magicians would wow the little ones. Each floor was dedicated to a range of different products. Until the 1970s, a lift-girl took customers from one floor to another. Each floor was laid out as if it were a free exhibition to be explored. Sellers presented new products, especially household items, to help customers along in their purchase decisions.

The products on sale were imported from 20 different countries, including Japan and the United States. The giant facade advertising evoked the big cities of the time. 

In 1908, Max and Louis Sternberg acquired the Café Rettel building, located at the corner of Rue du Curé and Rue du Fossé to set up shop. The brotherssubsequently opened a branch in Differdange in 1913 and in Esch-sur-Alzette in 1923. In 1925, to expand their sales area, they bought the neighbouring store in Luxembourg City, formerly Knaff shoe shop. The idea of a new building sprouted from City of Luxembourg plans to widen the section of Rue du Fossé between Rue du Curé and Place du Puits Rouge. In 1934, the Sternberg family transferred ownership of a strip of land to the City for the purposes of this project. The building facade needed to be set back from its initial position, but this was offset by adding more floors. Along a high-traffic thoroughfare, a very bold modern department store was built, which showcased the high quality of the metal frames produced by the Luxembourg steel industry. Architect Paul Funck was responsible for drawing up the plans in 1935. The facade features strong horizontal lines, the roof is flat and the stairwell marks the end of the building and the start of the neighbouring property. The entrance faces towards Place Guillaume.

During the Nazi occupation in 1941, Louis Sternberg, who was married to Frieda Seckler, became president of the Israelite Consistory of Luxembourg. Born in 1880 in Militsch (Prussia), he became a Luxembourgish citizen in 1935. He died in 1948. Under the occupation, the Sternberg Frères store was renamed Hansa Kaufhaus. In November 1944, the commandeered store was able to reopen under its original name. It ceased trading in 1988 and the company was liquidated in 1993.

Photos: Sternberg Luxembourg 1937

Sternberg 4 – 1913

Sternberg © Antoine Davito, Luxembourg City Photothèque