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Jean-Jacques Willmar

1792 – 1866

Prime Minister of Luxembourg

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About Jean-Jacques Willmar

Lived 1792 – 1866 (aged 74). Jean-Jacques Willmar was a Luxembourgish diplomat, politician, judge and lawyer.

Jean-Jacques Madeleine Willmar (; 6 March 1792 – 20 November 1866) was a Luxembourgish politician and jurist. An Orangist, he served as prime minister of Luxembourg for five years, from 6 December 1848 until 23 September 1853.

Born in 1792 in the city of Luxembourg, he was the son of Jean-Georges Willmar, who was governor of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg from 1817 to 1830.

In 1814 he received his Licence in Law in Paris, and became a lawyer at the bar of Luxembourg city. He was appointed a judge in 1824.

From 1830 to 1839, after the Belgian Revolution, he supported the Dutch King William I, during a period when a large part of Luxembourg wanted to join the new Belgian state.

In 1840 he was appointed Procureur général. From 1841 to 1848 he was a member of the Assembly of Estates, and in 1848 was the Luxembourgish representative at the Frankfurt Parliament.

From 2 December 1848 to 23 September 1853 he was prime minister and Administrator-General (Minister) for Foreign Affairs, Justice, Religion and education. Norbert Metz, who had become Finance Minister, and who was pro-Belgian and against membership of the German Confederation and the Zollverein, had a great influence on foreign policy, which led to tensions with Germany. Relations with the Netherlands also became chilled after the death of William II in 1849. His son, William III, who had himself represented by his brother Prince Henry, led a strictly conservative and reactionary policy, and deposed the government in 1853. Willmar's time in office saw the decision to introduce the Franc instead of the Guilder as the accounting unit of the government. In 1854, the first Luxembourgish copper coins were made.

From 28 November 1857 onwards, Willmar was a member of the newly founded Council of State, and remained as such until his death on 26 November 1866 in Luxembourg city.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Paris Law Faculty
Positions held
Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Member of the Frankfurt Parliament, Administrator-general for Justice, Member of the Council of State
Awards
Order of the Oak Crown
Also known as
Jean-Jacques Madeleine Willmar

People in Jean-Jacques Willmar's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Jean-Jacques Willmar's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Jean-Jacques Willmar?

Prime Minister of Luxembourg (1792-1866)

When was Jean-Jacques Willmar born?

Jean-Jacques Willmar was born on 6 March 1792 in Luxembourg.

When did Jean-Jacques Willmar die?

Jean-Jacques Willmar died on 20 November 1866 in Luxembourg.

What was Jean-Jacques Willmar's occupation?

Jean-Jacques Willmar was a diplomat, politician, judge and lawyer.

What nationality was Jean-Jacques Willmar?

Jean-Jacques Willmar was Luxembourgish.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Jean-Jacques Willmar

· Wikidata: Q738855

· DBpedia: Jean-Jacques Willmar

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jean-Jacques Willmar. https://biography.guide/jean-jacques-willmar/

MLA: "Jean-Jacques Willmar." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jean-jacques-willmar/.

Chicago: "Jean-Jacques Willmar." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jean-jacques-willmar/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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