A Colônia Luxemburguesa

Messias Guimarães started his career in the Brazilian Air Force and moved to João Monlevade in 1952 to work as a receptionist and waiter in the Belgo Mineira Casino.

On 31 August 1935, the founding stone of Belgo Mineira's steel plant in João Monlevade was laid. The construction of this steel plant attracted thousands of workers and engineers from various different countries to João Monlevade seeking new job opportunities.

Joseph Hein (1902-1983) was born in 1902 in Belvaux and moved to Brazil in 1934. Hein was Belgo Mineira's general director from 1956 to 1974. He died tragically in 1983 while being attacked by bees in his fazenda.

The Casino was built by the Companhia Siderúrgica Belgo Mineira. Following the Luxembourgish Casino concept developed by ARBED, it was destined to accommodate recently arrived employees of the company and had a restaurant serving typical Luxembourgish dishes.

Sálvio Penna was born in Sabará and has worked at Belgo Mineira, as well as his entire family.

José Nicolau Hein is the only son of Joseph Hein, Belgo Mineira's general director from 1956 to 1973. He lives in Belo Horizonte with his Brazilian wife.

Thiago is the former director of the Arquivo Público Mineiro in Belo Horizonte and specialised in the history of the civil-military dictatorship from 1964 to 1985 in Minas Gerais.

Belgo Mineira's Trefilaria was inaugurated in 1958 in Contagem, Belo Horizonte.

The DOI-CODI was the Department of Information Operations – Center for Internal Defense Operations, an intelligence and repression agency acting as a political police using torture methods during the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964-1985).