Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)
Albert Schweitzer was a humanitarian, theologian, missionary, internationally renowned concert organist and a medical doctor. For Schweitzer, respect for life was the highest principle. He fought against the nuclear arms race and also stressed the interdependence and unity of all life. He felt that the will to live was not enough without the elementary principle of reverence for life.
Schweitzer received his doctorate in philosophy and theological studies at the University of Strasbourg in Germany. Later, in 1905, he attended medical school with his sights set on becoming a medical missionary to Africa. In 1913, he founded the Schweitzer Hospital at Lambaréné in what was once French Equatorial Africa.
Four years later, Schweitzer and his wife were sent to a French internment camp as prisoners of war for one year, after which they fled to Europe. They returned in 1924 and spent the remainder of their life in Africa working in the hospital Schweitzer founded. In 1952, Schweitzer was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for founding the hospital. With the prize money, he started a leprosarium at Lamarene. Before his death he expanded the hospital to 70 buildings in order to take care of up to 500 patients at a time. This was done with funds from royalties and personal appearances from his successful music career.
