History of the Netherlands The post-war years saw rapid economic recovery (helped by the American Marshall Plan), followed by the introduction of a welfare state during an era of peace and prosperity. The Netherlands formed a new economic alliance with Belgium and Luxembourg, the Benelux, and all three became founding members of the European Union and NATO. In recent decades, the Dutch economy has been closely linked to that of Germany, and is highly prosperous. The four countries adopted the Euro on 1 January 2002, along with eight other EU member states. The prehistory of the area that is now the Netherlands was largely
Luxembourg at the 1920 Summer Olympics advance past the initial heats in the sprint event, and did not finish the 50 kilometres. Luxembourg competed in the Olympic football tournament for the first time. The team lost to the Netherlands in the first round. Three weightlifters represented Luxembourg in 1920. It was the nation's debut in the sport. Alzin won the country's first medal in the sport, a silver in the heavyweight. Two wrestlers, both in the Greco-Roman style, competed for Luxembourg in 1920. Both men lost all of their matches. Luxembourg at the 1920 Summer Olympics Luxembourg competed at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.