First TV-channel in Luxembourgish

Author: Laura Hilbert

„Hei Elei, Kuck Elei“ was and is important for the Luxemburgish identity. That means that a lot of Luxemburgish people could identify with this channel. The reasons for this identification are that it was the first program broadcasted in Luxemburgish, a TV-channel with focus on Luxembourg (such as the culture) and publicity about national products.

Due to the initiative of Gust Graas the CLT (the “Compagnie luxembourgeoise de télédiffusion”) decided to create this channel. This dominical program was sent from 1st September 1969 to 20th October 1991. It was only financed with the profits of the advertisement.

“Hei Elei, Kuck Elei” wasn’t only showed in Luxembourg. It was also watched outside of the country, like in Belgium and in France. This was due to the fact that it was radiated since the eighties in addition to the frequency 21 on other channels, namely 7 and 27.

Sources: Concerning the question how important was “Hei Elei, Kuck Elei” for the Luxemburgers and the Non-Luxemburgers today and at that time, have a look at the interviews realized by the Uni.lu (MAHEC) with Pierre Puth, Gust Graas, Jean Octave and Menn Bodson.

Selective bibliography:

– DOMINGUEZ MULLER, David, La télévision s’invite chez vous. De Télé Luxembourg à RTL, in: ons stad Nr. 106 (2014), S. 32-33.

– JAGER, Roland, La télévision au Luxembourg. Le système luxembourgeois: une combinaison inédite du modèle de service public avec les conditions de financement d’une exploitation privée, in: Ministère des affaires culturelles (Hg.), Le cinéma et la télévision au Luxembourg. Luxembourg 1988, S. 39-43.