Albert Schweitzer

French-German physician, theologian, musician, and philosopher (1875-1965) · France · Doctors · Died at 90

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A theologian who upended both secular and Christian views of Jesus, then walked away from European lecture halls to build a hospital in equatorial Africa - and won the Nobel Peace Prize for a philosophy he called "Reverence for Life."

Doctors TV Personality News Broadcasting Philosophy Medicine Classical Music 19th Century

A life in dates

1965Died4 September 19651961“Any religion or philosophy which is not based on a respect for life is not a true religion or philosophy.”In their wordsLetter to a Japanese Animal Welfare Society (1961); also in The Words of Albert Schweitzer (1984) edited by ‎Norman Cousins, p. 37Read the whole statement

1959Great Gold medal of the Société d'Encouragement au ProgrèsAwardJames Cook MedalAwardSonning PrizeAward1956“Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now - always, and indeed then most truly when it seems most unsuitable to actual circumstances.”In their wordsCh. XI : Conclusion (1956 edition)Read the whole statement

1955Honorary member of the Order of MeritAward1954Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts orderAward1952Paracelsus Medal of the German Medical AssociationAwardPrince Carl MedalAward1951Johann-Peter-Hebel-PreisAwardPeace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' AssociationAward1950Grand Officer of the Legion of HonourAwardOfficer of the Legion of HonourAward1948Knight of the Legion of HonourAward1932Goethe Plaque of the City of FrankfurtAward1928Goethe Prize of the City of FrankfurtAward1924“A word in conclusion about the relations between the whites and blacks. What must be the general character of the intercourse between them?”In their wordsCh. VII, Social Problems in the Forest, p. 130 (1924 translation by Ch. Th. Campion); Schweitzer later repudiated such statements, sayingRead the whole statement

1913“Modern Christianity must always reckon with the possibility of having to abandon the historical figure of Jesus.”In their wordsThe Quest of the Historical Jesus 2nd edition (1913), as translated by John Bowden et al. (2001)Read the whole statement

1906“This dogma had first to be shattered before men could once more go out in quest of the historical Jesus, before they could even grasp the thought of His existence.”In their wordsp. 3Read the whole statement

“The historical Jesus will be to our time a stranger and an enigma. The study of the Life of Jesus has had a curious history.”In their wordsp. 397Read the whole statement

1875Born14 January 1875

Also in Deutsch

Photos 8

Bundesarchiv Bild 183-D0116-0041-019, Albert Schweitzer

0 Maison natale d'Albert Schweitzer à Kaysersberg

Albert Schweitzer in Lambarene 1964

Albert-Schweitzer-Spital, Lambarene 1965 ©Eric Bachmann Fotoarchiv

39 ddpimages 900031854

Abschied von Albert Schweitzer in Lambarene

Acte de naissance d'Albert Schweitzer-Musée de Kaysersberg

Acte de naissance d'Albert Schweitzer

In their own words 10

Albert Schweitzer

10 statements, newest first

Any religion or philosophy which is not based on a respect for life is not a true religion or philosophy.
1961, Letter to a Japanese Animal Welfare Society (1961); also in The Words of Albert Schweitzer (1984) edited by ‎Norman Cousins, p. 37, Own words
The awareness that we are all human beings together has become lost in war and through politics.
Mar 30, 1958, Radio appeal for peace, Oslo, Norway (30 March 1958); also in Peace or Atomic War (1958) Three Appeals Broadcast from Oslo, Norway, on, Own words
Truth has no special time of its own. Its hour is now - always, and indeed then most truly when it seems most unsuitable to actual circumstances.
1956, Ch. XI : Conclusion (1956 edition), Own words

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Awards

James Cook Medal1959

Great Gold medal of the Société d'Encouragement au Progrès1959

Sonning Prize1959

Honorary member of the Order of Merit1955

Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order1954

Nobel Peace Prize1952

Paracelsus Medal of the German Medical Association1952

Prince Carl Medal1952

Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' Association1951

Johann-Peter-Hebel-Preis1951

Officer of the Legion of Honour1950

Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour1950

Knight of the Legion of Honour1948

Goethe Plaque of the City of Frankfurt1932

Goethe Prize of the City of Frankfurt1928

Honorary Citizen of Frankfurt Am Main

Pour le Mérite

Honorary Citizen of Pfaffenhoffen

Goethe Medal for Art and Science

Family

Parents

Albert Schweitzer

Partners

Spouse Helene Bresslau

Child Rhena Schweitzer Miller

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About this person

Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer was born in Alsace on 14 January 1875, a German polymath who moved between theology, music, and medicine with equal force. As a Lutheran minister he challenged the historical-critical method's portrait of Jesus and reframed Pauline Christianity around mysticism rather than justification by faith. He was also a music scholar and organist who studied Johann Sebastian Bach and shaped the Organ Reform Movement. Then he founded the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in Lambaréné, French Equatorial Africa, and sustained it for decades - a living expression of his philosophy of "Reverence for Life," for which he received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize. He died on 4 September 1965.

Country

France

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