An expat gave a crowd of onlookers a scare on Saturday when he appeared to be choking but was merely trying to say “Grand Duke’s Birthday” in Luxembourgish.
The incident occurred in public the evening before Luxembourg’s National Day when the well-meaning and intoxicated expat looked up the word and tried to say it to at least three different Luxembourgers in the vicinity.
“Groussherzogsgebuertsdag,” the expat said proudly. “Happy Groussherzogsgebuertsdag. Groussherzogsgebuertsdag, right?”
Within moments, the onlookers jumped into action. One repeatedly slapped the expat on the back while another took a video and yet another prayed.
The victim pushed them away and hissed, “I was just trying to say Groussherzogsgebuertsdag,” prompting the onlookers to believe that he was still choking.
They then administered the Heimlich maneuver, inadvertently forcing the expat to pronounce the word correctly and therefore bringing an end to the drama.
