Roger Stütz

Roger Stütz was born on 9 March 1930 in Luxembourg City. His parents were Jean Stütz (born on 4 October 1902 in Holzthum) and Catherine Grethen, known as Ketty, (born on 4 May 1908 in Rollingen, died on 23 December 1955). He had a brother and a sister. He attended Kopstal primary school for 8 years. His school performance and general behaviour were deemed unsatisfactory, which is why he was held back twice and did not complete the sixth grade. According to his teacher W. Flener, he spent 6 months in the Marienthal reformatory until March 1943, during the Second World War. Later, he took a job in Echternach, earning his living as a cook.

According to other sources, he also worked as a labourer for stallholders. After his medical check-up in February 1949, he began his compulsory military service on 8 March 8 1949. At his own request, he was stationed with the 1st Battalion of the Luxembourg Army for a full year. At that time, Roger was officially registered as living with his parents in Luxembourg City. On 29 April 1949, he took his military oath.

But on 12 September 1949, he petitioned his company, the "Détachement Moutfort", for an early discharge, as he wished to return to civilian life as a cook. Before this, he had likely been considering a military career as a volunteer, as the army had requested a police clearance certificate from the gendarmerie.

On 26 September 1949, he was officially discharged from mandatory military service. Less than a year later, on 30 September 1950, Stütz decided to enlist as a volunteer in the first Luxembourg contingent to be sent to the Korean War. He extended his service for a second year to fight alongside the second contingent. During this second year of service, Roger was promoted twice: Private 1st class in May 1952 and Corporal in June of the same year. At that point, he was appointed driver to the commander of the Belgian United Nations Command (BUNC), Lieutenant-Colonel Georges Vivario.

Roger was mortally wounded by a grenade explosion on 22 August 1952 at Chokko-Ri. His remains were brought back to Luxembourg, where his death was commemorated on 17 March 1953 with full military honours in Luxembourg City.

On 18 March 1953, he was finally laid to rest in the grave of his grandfather, Nic Grethen (1873–1918). It was in this same grave that his grandmother, Catherine Friedtoff, was buried in 1967. This gravesite is still maintained today by the Association luxembourgeoise-koraéenne.