Profile Text
Birth Name: Xavier Nicolas Bettel
Place of Birth: Bonnevoie, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
Date of Birth: 3 March, 1973
Ethnicity: French, Russian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Polish, possibly other
Xavier Bettel is a Luxembourgish politician and lawyer. He has been Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, both, since 17 November, 2023. He was previously Prime Minister of Luxembourg , and Minister for Communications and Media, both, from 4 December, 2013 to 17 November, 2023; as well as, Mayor of Luxembourg City, from 24 November, 2011 to 4 December, 2013, Minister for Culture, from 17 December, 2015 to 5 December, 2018, and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, from 17 November, 2024 to 14 May, 2025. He was the country’s first openly gay Prime Minister.
Xavier is the son of Aniela and Claude Marcel Bettel, a wine merchant and transport entrepreneur, who was a member of the Luxembourgish National Council for Foreigners. His father is said to have been French, and to have had a Russian father and a Polish mother. His mother has Ashkenazi Jewish and Russian ancestry. His maternal great-great-uncle, great-grandfather’s brother, was Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the late Romantic period, Sergei Rachmaninoff. He is also said to have Moldovan ancestry.
Xavier was raised in Roeser. He is married to Belgian architect Gauthier Destenay.
Xavier has stated :
I’m of Polish and Russian origin, with Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox and atheist grandparents.
I’m of Polish and Russian origin, with Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox and atheist grandparents.
Xavier’s paternal grandfather was named Joseph Bettel.
Xavier’s paternal grandmother was named Renée Arnot. Renée was born in Frôlois, Côte-d’Or, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
Xavier’s maternal grandfather was named Maurice Spiro. Maurice likely was Jewish.
Xavier’s maternal grandmother was named Vera Rachmaninoff/Rachmaninova (the daughter of Arkady Vasilyevich Rachmaninov/Rachmaninoff). Vera was born in Russia. Arkady was the son of Vasily Arkadyevich/Arkadievich Rachmaninov/Rachmaninoff, an army officer and amateur pianist; and of Lyubov Petrovna Butakova. Vasily was the son of musician Arkady Alexandrovich Rachmaninov. Lyubov’s father was a wealthy army general.
Source: Genealogy of Xavier Bettel – https://www.geni.com