Elisabeth Risch was born on June 10, 1926, in Remich. In 1946, she married winegrower François Kox. For Elisabeth and François, starting a large family was a natural choice. The marriage produced eleven children (1), including politicians Henri (2) and Martin Kox, winegrowers Laurent and Benoît Kox, and Jo Kox, former administrative director of Casino Luxembourg and former president of the Fonds national culturel. The very dynamic Elisabeth not only took care of her large family, but was also actively involved in other areas. First, in 1955, she was a founding member of the local group “Fraen a Mammen” in Remich. She remained chairwoman there for 40 years until 1995. Elisabeth was also a member of the Christian Social Party and was elected national chairwoman of the women's section of the Christian Social People's Party of Luxembourg (CSV) in 1973. Her commitment to more participatory democracy was evident from an early age. In her article “Die Frau und die Politik” (Women and Politics), published in the Luxemburger Wort on April 6, 1973, she called for greater political participation by women, which she believed was only possible if men supported them and took on household chores:
Where is the Luxembourgish man who stands by her side at home as an equal partner and who, when she comes home later than him, has taken care of all the housework? Who stands by the single woman, the widow, who has committed herself to the common good? The doors of the political parties are wide open to women. Luxembourgish husbands, Luxembourgish politicians, are you ready to keep the doors open as well?
The year 1974, and more specifically the project to build a nuclear power plant in Remerschen, marked a turning point in her political career. A teacher gave her a book explaining that nuclear energy is not compatible with sustainability, viticulture, and agriculture, recalls her son Henri Kox. Without delay, the population mobilized to express its categorical rejection of the project. Élisabeth Kox-Risch initiated the Biergerinitiativ Museldall (Museldall Citizens' Initiative), of which she also became president, and she did not stop fighting until the program was abandoned in December 1977. Together with the other founders of Bierger-initiativ Museldall, Elisabeth Kox-Risch was not only at the forefront of the anti-nuclear movement (Remerschen and Cattenom), but also of the emerging ecological movement in Luxembourg. As a result, she ran for the Green Party in the 1994 and 1999 national elections.
Elisabeth Kox-Risch stood out above all for her personal charisma, her strong inner convictions, and her strength. She had the ability to go against the grain and commit herself fully to her beliefs.
Her name remains inextricably linked to the history of political ecology in Luxembourg. She died on August 7, 1999.
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1) Martin, Bernadette, Madeleine, Suzette, Antoinette, Laurent, Yolande, Joseph, Benoît, Henri, and Mariette.
2) Henri Kox's political mandates: Minister (2019-2023), Member of Parliament (2004-2019), Mayor of Remich (2009-2017)
3) The Greens were founded in 1983 under the name Gréng Alternativ Partei (GAP).
Sources :
● Wikipedia https://lb.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lisabeth_Kox-Risch
● De Kéisecker du 1 mars 2000
● LuxemburgerWort du 10.04.2015
● d'Lëtzebuerger Land du 13.01.2023