It is with incredible sadness that Luxembourg Legacy announces the passing of our dear friend, René Daubenfeld, of Surré, Luxembourg, on April 6, 2026, at age 67 after a courageous battle with cancer.  

René was known by Luxembourgers throughout the United States as the co-owner/operator of Building Bridges Tours and as co-tour leader with Kevin Wester on the Luxembourg Legacy tours. 

René was born on June 8, 1958, and grew up on the family farm in Surré. In his early working career, he traveled to the United States for meetings, and it was at that time that he developed a fascination with America. He worked for the Commune of Boulaide and Surré and eventually became mayor of the commune. His dedication to bettering the commune made him a cherished political figure.  

Through his work at the commune, René learned of the numerous 19th-century immigrants from the commune to America, inspiring him to begin researching immigration to America.  

In 2001, René received an email from Julie Jochum, of Bellevue, Iowa, requesting information about her immigrant ancestor. In 2002, Julie traveled to Luxembourg and René assisted with her family research. The new friendship between the two set the stage for what would become their Building Bridges Tours. 

In 2003, René traveled to the United States to visit the main settlements of Luxembourgers in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. During that visit, René and Julie brainstormed about organizing tours from Luxembourg to the Midwest for Luxembourgers to discover the past and present culture of Luxembourgers in America. 

After René shared photos and information about his U.S. trip with friends back home, they urged him to organize a tour for them. The first tour was a two-week trip in May 2005, which Julie assisted with. René said, “At that time, I felt like an emigrant who came back to the Old World to take my friends with me to the New World.”  

The first Building Bridges tour was a huge success, so subsequent tours followed. In addition to the Luxembourg-American cultural tours, René and Julie expanded their tours to include Buffalo Bill tours and tours exploring the United States from New Orleans to Montana.   

Through the numerous U.S. tours, René endeared himself to Luxembourgers throughout the country, especially in the Midwest. His return each year felt like a grand reunion. Over the years, René generously shared ancestral information and research with countless people. His passion was the Luxembourg-American story, and he did whatever he could to promote ongoing Luxembourg-American relations on both sides of the Atlantic. 

After his retirement a few years ago, René, who remained single all his life, spent his time researching immigrants to the United States and creating a database with more than 50,000 immigrants to America. He also generously toured Luxembourg with visiting Luxembourg Americans pursuing their ancestral roots.    

In 2023, Kevin Wester, founder and CEO of Luxembourg Legacy, asked René to assist with his Luxembourg Legacy Tours. René immediately agreed and became a valuable partner on the tours. René’s passion for Luxembourg Americans was evident in the historic information he shared and his dedication to create a family tree for each tour participant. Tour members appreciated his energy, love for storytelling and sense of humor. René’s last tour with Luxembourg Legacy was the 2025 Jubilee Tour for the 400th Anniversary of Our Lady of Luxembourg with 68 Luxembourg-American participants. He thoroughly enjoyed helping Kevin plan and execute that special tour. René had planned to assist with the May 2026 Luxembourg Legacy Tour, but his ill health made that impossible. 

René will be deeply missed by his brother, sister, nieces and nephews, dear friend Julie Jochum, his Building Bridges tour family, his Luxembourg Legacy tour family and countless Luxembourgers and Luxembourg-Americans whose lives he touched so deeply.  Luxembourg-American relations will never quite be the same without René.

Luxembourg Legacy and the Luxembourg-American community offer their sincerest condolences to the Daubenfeld family. 

Please consider a memorial donation in Rene’s memory to the Luxembourg American Cultural Society, the Luxembourg Brotherhood of America or one of the local Luxembourg-American societies in the Midwest. Find them here.  

René, your work in promoting cross-cultural experiences between Luxembourg and the United States will never be forgotten. May you rest now in God’s loving embrace and be welcomed into eternity by all the Luxembourg immigrants you researched and admired who have gone before you.