The luminescence spectra of europium(III) complexes dissolved in the liquid crystal 4'-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) were investigated. Upon alignment of the europium(III)-doped nematic liquid-crystal host in a liquid-crystal cell with alignment layers, polarization effects were observed in the emission spectra. These polarization effects were visible as differences in the relative intensities of the crystal-field components of the transitions. Although the europium(III) complexes do not need to be liquid-crystalline themselves, some structural anisotropy is required for good alignment in the liquid crystal host and for the generation of linearly polarized light.