Biography Category
Name :
Albert Schwitzer
Date :
Views :
592
Category :
Birth Date :
14/01/1875
Birth Place :
Kayserberg, Alsace
Death Date :
4-Sep-65
Not Available
Albert Schweitzer was born on January 14, 1875, at Kaysersberg in Upper Alsace, Germany, to a Lutheran pastor. A few weeks after his birth, his father moved to Gunsbach in the Munster Valley where along with his three sisters and a brother he had a happy childhood and youth.[br /]
[br /]
At the age of five he began receiving music lessons from his father. He surprised his school mistress by playing hymn tunes on the harmonium. From a young age, he had a passion and talent for playing the organ. At the age of eight when his legs could hardly reach the pedals, he began playing the organ. At just the age of nine, he became the organist for a service at Gunsbach. Schweitzer had a compelling desire to discuss everything. The joy of seeking the truth and the purpose of doing things occupied his mind. The urge to solve the riddle of existence was asserting itself subconsciously.[br /]
[br /]
Till 1884 Albert attended the Gunsbach village school. It was here, through a number of events that his conscience developed considerably.[br /]
[br /]
Once, Albert was playing with his friends the innocent and sometimes not entirely harmless games of early youth. It so happened that the boys were trapping animals; they had not come to realize that animals suffer and that they are mostly helpless in the hands of men. Albert went along with the other boys on a bird-hunt. He saw a bird sitting among the leaves and heared how unconcerned and free of care she was, singing in the bright day. Then he felt cold fear gripping him. He did not want to appear before his friends as a coward, and so he stretched his sling. But then, in the sunshine and the song of birds, the evening bells began to ring. The ringing seemed to him the voice of Heaven. He threw the sling away, frightened the bird and ran away from it.[br /]
[br /]
He has said he went fishing twice with the boys. Then, he was overcome by the horror of the spitted worms and by the torn mouths of the caught fish. He gave up fishing. He even went so far as to try to dissuade his schoolmates from this cruel game.[br /]
[br /]
After that, he studied at Realschule at Munster for a year. In 1885, he entered the fifth form at Gymnasium in Malhausen in Alsace. At Gymnasium, he was interested in history and natural science. Languages and mathematics were difficult for him in the beginning but gradually he felt a fascination in mastering these subjects. At Malhausen he had Eugene Munch, a young organist at the Reformed Church of St. Stephen, as his music master. The lessons at Gymnasium introduced him to ancient philosophy. On June 18, 1893, he passed his final examination and was given a second grade certificate which was adorned with an "Excellent" in history. In October 1893, Albert was accepted as a pupil by Parisian organist Charles Marie Widor. This led to an improvement and perfection in his technique and playing.[br /]
[br /]
At the end of October 1893, Albert Schweitzer began his studies at the University of Strasbourg. He took up the subjects of theology and philosophy together. On April 1, 1894, he began his military service. At the University he occupied himself with independent research into the problems of the life of Jesus. He began his work on the life of Christ and on the Gospels. He regularly attended lectures in philosophy and theology. At the same time he regularly played Bach and involved himself in Bach’s work,[br /]
[br /]
In 1897, he appeared for the first theology examination and his thesis was on "Schleiermacher’s teaching about The Last Supper compared with the conceptions of it embodied in the New Testament and the confessions of faith drawn up by the Reformers."[br /]
[br /]
On May 6, 1898, he passed his theology examination and then devoted himself completely to philosophy. His examination result and Holtzmann’s reference gave him the Goll scholarship. He decided to go for the title of Doctor in Philosophy. By the end of October 1898, he went to Paris to study philosophy at the Sorbonne and to improve his organ playing under Widor. As an older schoolboy, he became accustomed to smoking. As a student, he observed that cigars and pipes had become a passion with him. Then he chose a day that has impressed itself upon his memory - January 1, 1899 - to give up smoking. And he did, forever. In mid-March 1899, he returned to Strasbourg and read his finished work aloud to Theobald Ziegler. He spent the summer of 1899 in Berlin and was occupied in reading philosophy. By July end that year, he returned to Strasbourg and took his degree in philosophy.[br /]
[br /]
He then went for his theology Licentiate. On December 1, 1899, he was appointed as preacher at the Church of St. Nicholas, first as a drawn and later as a curate.[br /]
[br /]
On July 21, 1900 he received the degree of Licentiate in Theology. On March 1, 1902 he delivered his inaugural lecture before the Theology Faculty at Strasbourg. In two years, he was appointed principal of St. Thomas College in Strasbourg. He was also appointed to the faculty of theology and philosophy at the University of Strasbourg. During this time he published several books on theology, on Kant, on organ building and others.[br /]
[br /]
Dr. Albert Schweitzer always felt a strong yearning to serve humanity. In 1904 when he was 29 years old, he read an appeal from the French Protestant Missionary Society in Paris asking for urgent need for physicians in the French colony of Gabon. He wanted to become a doctor to work without words. He wanted to put the Gospel of love into practice.[br /]
[br /]
The study of medicine gave him great satisfaction. He had been initiated into an entirely new world. He paid for his intensive medical studies by lecturing and giving organ recitals. He continued his work in philosophy and theology. The study of medicine claimed seven years of Schweitzer’s life. In 1913 he finished his studies and qualified as a doctor of medicine.
While occupied with the dissertation for his medical degree, he was already making preparations for his journey to Africa. He married HelenBresslau on June 18, 1912. In March 1913, on Good Friday, Albert Schweitzer set out forLambarene. He began a new life, totally different from that of the
academic world. He along with his wife began their health care service and gradually added new buildings to the hospital. Just one year after the arrival at Lambarene, World War I broke out. He was placed under supervision as a German citizen and in 1917 he and his wife were brought back to an internment camp in France. The free time enabled him to continue with his religious, philosophical and cultural studies. He turned his attention increasingly to world problems. In 1918, Albert and Helen returned to Alsace, where Helen gave birth to a baby girl, Rhena, on January 14, 1919. In 1920 he was invited to lecture in Sweden and there he described that while being rowed up the Ogawe River from Lambarene, his search for an expression of his philosophy was answered. The phrase "Reverence for Life" flashed upon his mind.[br /]
[br /]
Schweitzer stayed on in Europe until 1924. He returned to Africa in 1924 but Helene and Rhena stayed behind because Helen was not well enough to accompany her husband. Since then he lived in Africa and made occasional trips to Europe. His visits to Europe have always been marked by intense activity. He gave recitals to offer pleasure to others and to obtain funds for the hospital at Lambarene, where he was a doctor. He wrote scholarly books and was a music commentator on contemporary history.[br /]
[br /]
In 1953, at 78, Albert Schweitzer was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work. All the money he received from the prize was spent for a new building at his camp at Lambarene to house lepers.[br /]
[br /]
In 1965 this great author, musician, philosopher and physician died at the age of 90, while he was still working at his hospital in Africa.[br /]
[br /]
Schweitzer spent almost 50 years working in Africa, healing sick people. Apart from being a doctor, he was a great human being who cared for thousands of people in a remote location. Despite war, disease and old age he worked hard to fulfil his goal of working "to the direct service of humanity". He was a man who guided people to inner peace and instilled many with a love for all God's creatures.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
At the age of five he began receiving music lessons from his father. He surprised his school mistress by playing hymn tunes on the harmonium. From a young age, he had a passion and talent for playing the organ. At the age of eight when his legs could hardly reach the pedals, he began playing the organ. At just the age of nine, he became the organist for a service at Gunsbach. Schweitzer had a compelling desire to discuss everything. The joy of seeking the truth and the purpose of doing things occupied his mind. The urge to solve the riddle of existence was asserting itself subconsciously.[br /]
[br /]
Till 1884 Albert attended the Gunsbach village school. It was here, through a number of events that his conscience developed considerably.[br /]
[br /]
Once, Albert was playing with his friends the innocent and sometimes not entirely harmless games of early youth. It so happened that the boys were trapping animals; they had not come to realize that animals suffer and that they are mostly helpless in the hands of men. Albert went along with the other boys on a bird-hunt. He saw a bird sitting among the leaves and heared how unconcerned and free of care she was, singing in the bright day. Then he felt cold fear gripping him. He did not want to appear before his friends as a coward, and so he stretched his sling. But then, in the sunshine and the song of birds, the evening bells began to ring. The ringing seemed to him the voice of Heaven. He threw the sling away, frightened the bird and ran away from it.[br /]
[br /]
He has said he went fishing twice with the boys. Then, he was overcome by the horror of the spitted worms and by the torn mouths of the caught fish. He gave up fishing. He even went so far as to try to dissuade his schoolmates from this cruel game.[br /]
[br /]
After that, he studied at Realschule at Munster for a year. In 1885, he entered the fifth form at Gymnasium in Malhausen in Alsace. At Gymnasium, he was interested in history and natural science. Languages and mathematics were difficult for him in the beginning but gradually he felt a fascination in mastering these subjects. At Malhausen he had Eugene Munch, a young organist at the Reformed Church of St. Stephen, as his music master. The lessons at Gymnasium introduced him to ancient philosophy. On June 18, 1893, he passed his final examination and was given a second grade certificate which was adorned with an "Excellent" in history. In October 1893, Albert was accepted as a pupil by Parisian organist Charles Marie Widor. This led to an improvement and perfection in his technique and playing.[br /]
[br /]
At the end of October 1893, Albert Schweitzer began his studies at the University of Strasbourg. He took up the subjects of theology and philosophy together. On April 1, 1894, he began his military service. At the University he occupied himself with independent research into the problems of the life of Jesus. He began his work on the life of Christ and on the Gospels. He regularly attended lectures in philosophy and theology. At the same time he regularly played Bach and involved himself in Bach’s work,[br /]
[br /]
In 1897, he appeared for the first theology examination and his thesis was on "Schleiermacher’s teaching about The Last Supper compared with the conceptions of it embodied in the New Testament and the confessions of faith drawn up by the Reformers."[br /]
[br /]
On May 6, 1898, he passed his theology examination and then devoted himself completely to philosophy. His examination result and Holtzmann’s reference gave him the Goll scholarship. He decided to go for the title of Doctor in Philosophy. By the end of October 1898, he went to Paris to study philosophy at the Sorbonne and to improve his organ playing under Widor. As an older schoolboy, he became accustomed to smoking. As a student, he observed that cigars and pipes had become a passion with him. Then he chose a day that has impressed itself upon his memory - January 1, 1899 - to give up smoking. And he did, forever. In mid-March 1899, he returned to Strasbourg and read his finished work aloud to Theobald Ziegler. He spent the summer of 1899 in Berlin and was occupied in reading philosophy. By July end that year, he returned to Strasbourg and took his degree in philosophy.[br /]
[br /]
He then went for his theology Licentiate. On December 1, 1899, he was appointed as preacher at the Church of St. Nicholas, first as a drawn and later as a curate.[br /]
[br /]
On July 21, 1900 he received the degree of Licentiate in Theology. On March 1, 1902 he delivered his inaugural lecture before the Theology Faculty at Strasbourg. In two years, he was appointed principal of St. Thomas College in Strasbourg. He was also appointed to the faculty of theology and philosophy at the University of Strasbourg. During this time he published several books on theology, on Kant, on organ building and others.[br /]
[br /]
Dr. Albert Schweitzer always felt a strong yearning to serve humanity. In 1904 when he was 29 years old, he read an appeal from the French Protestant Missionary Society in Paris asking for urgent need for physicians in the French colony of Gabon. He wanted to become a doctor to work without words. He wanted to put the Gospel of love into practice.[br /]
[br /]
The study of medicine gave him great satisfaction. He had been initiated into an entirely new world. He paid for his intensive medical studies by lecturing and giving organ recitals. He continued his work in philosophy and theology. The study of medicine claimed seven years of Schweitzer’s life. In 1913 he finished his studies and qualified as a doctor of medicine.
While occupied with the dissertation for his medical degree, he was already making preparations for his journey to Africa. He married HelenBresslau on June 18, 1912. In March 1913, on Good Friday, Albert Schweitzer set out forLambarene. He began a new life, totally different from that of the
academic world. He along with his wife began their health care service and gradually added new buildings to the hospital. Just one year after the arrival at Lambarene, World War I broke out. He was placed under supervision as a German citizen and in 1917 he and his wife were brought back to an internment camp in France. The free time enabled him to continue with his religious, philosophical and cultural studies. He turned his attention increasingly to world problems. In 1918, Albert and Helen returned to Alsace, where Helen gave birth to a baby girl, Rhena, on January 14, 1919. In 1920 he was invited to lecture in Sweden and there he described that while being rowed up the Ogawe River from Lambarene, his search for an expression of his philosophy was answered. The phrase "Reverence for Life" flashed upon his mind.[br /]
[br /]
Schweitzer stayed on in Europe until 1924. He returned to Africa in 1924 but Helene and Rhena stayed behind because Helen was not well enough to accompany her husband. Since then he lived in Africa and made occasional trips to Europe. His visits to Europe have always been marked by intense activity. He gave recitals to offer pleasure to others and to obtain funds for the hospital at Lambarene, where he was a doctor. He wrote scholarly books and was a music commentator on contemporary history.[br /]
[br /]
In 1953, at 78, Albert Schweitzer was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work. All the money he received from the prize was spent for a new building at his camp at Lambarene to house lepers.[br /]
[br /]
In 1965 this great author, musician, philosopher and physician died at the age of 90, while he was still working at his hospital in Africa.[br /]
[br /]
Schweitzer spent almost 50 years working in Africa, healing sick people. Apart from being a doctor, he was a great human being who cared for thousands of people in a remote location. Despite war, disease and old age he worked hard to fulfil his goal of working "to the direct service of humanity". He was a man who guided people to inner peace and instilled many with a love for all God's creatures.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Dr. Albert Schweitzer was a physician, animal lover, environmentalist, musician, theologian, anti-nuclear activist, philosopher, pastor, husband, father and a friend. He has been called the greatest Christian of his time who realized that the world is an inexplicable and mysterious place filled with suffering. His aim was making men better human beings. A great humanitarian, he set up a hospital for people who previously had no access to modern health care.[br /]
[br /]
His life serves as an example of the good that can come from work and sacrifice. He gave meaning to his existence by raising his natural relation to the world to a spiritual one. His knowledge is considered by many to have a pessimistic note, but on the other hand no one can ignore the fact that he had a unique optimistic outlook to life.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
His life serves as an example of the good that can come from work and sacrifice. He gave meaning to his existence by raising his natural relation to the world to a spiritual one. His knowledge is considered by many to have a pessimistic note, but on the other hand no one can ignore the fact that he had a unique optimistic outlook to life.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]January 14, 1875[/b][br /]
Born at Kayserberg, Alsace, to Adde Schillinger Schweitzer and Louis Schweitzer.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1880-1884[/b][br /]
Attended village school, Gunsbach.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1885-1893[/b][br /]
Student at Gymnasium, Mulhausen.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1893[/b][br /]
Began studies, University of Strasbourg, studied organ in Paris.[br /]
[br /]
[b]April 1894 - April 1895 [/b][br /]
Served mandatory military service.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1896-1899[/b][br /]
Studied at Sorbonne and University of Berlin, also studied organ in Paris and Berlin. [br /]
Began giving concerts. Published first book.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1899[/b][br /]
Received doctorate of philosophy, University of Strasbourg.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1900[/b][br /]
Received a licentiate degree in theology; ordained as curate.[br /]
[br /]
[b]January 14, 1905[/b][br /]
Decided to study medicine and go to Africa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1906[/b][br /]
Began medical studies, University of Strasbourg.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1912[/b][br /]
Married Helene Bresslau.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1913[/b][br /]
Completed internship and received M.D. degree. Left for Africa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1914-17[/b][br /]
Considered enemy alien by French authorities, but could continue medical practice.[br /]
[br /]
[b]September 1915[/b][br /]
Found the words, 'Reverence for Life' that summed up his philosophy.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1917[/b][br /]
The Schweitzers transferred to France as civilian interns.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1918[/b][br /]
Returned to Alsace in poor health.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1919-1923[/b][br /]
Daughter was born, recovered health, practiced medicine, lectured widely, gave organ concerts, preached, wrote and published books.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1924-1927[/b][br /]
Returned to Africa, and rebuilt hospital at new location.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1927-1939[/b][br /]
Made several trips to and from Africa. Lectured widely and played organ throughout Europe.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1939-1948[/b][br /]
Remained in Lambarene during World War II. Mrs. Schweitzer rejoined him after a hazardous escape from Europe.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1949[/b][br /]
First and only trip to the United States.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1953[/b][br /]
Accepted the 1952 Noble Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway and gold replica of the Albert Schweitzer Medal of the Animal Welfare Institute.[br /]
[br /]
[b]May 30, 1957[/b][br /]
Death of Helene Scheweitzer in Switzerland.[br /]
[br /]
[b]December 4, 1957[/b][br /]
Returned to Lambarene for the 13th and last time.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1958-1963[/b][br /]
Worked for nuclear test ban treaty. Became one of the world’s leading citizen. Period of great expansion at hospital.[br /]
[br /]
[b]May 6, 1963[/b][br /]
Endorsed a U.S. Senate bill to reduce laboratory animal suffering.[br /]
[br /]
[b]March 1965[/b][br /]
His dogs, cats, and monkeys were put to death by authorities due to rabies epidemic.[br /]
[br /]
[b]September 4, 1965[/b][br /]
Died at Lambarene at the age of 90.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Born at Kayserberg, Alsace, to Adde Schillinger Schweitzer and Louis Schweitzer.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1880-1884[/b][br /]
Attended village school, Gunsbach.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1885-1893[/b][br /]
Student at Gymnasium, Mulhausen.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1893[/b][br /]
Began studies, University of Strasbourg, studied organ in Paris.[br /]
[br /]
[b]April 1894 - April 1895 [/b][br /]
Served mandatory military service.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1896-1899[/b][br /]
Studied at Sorbonne and University of Berlin, also studied organ in Paris and Berlin. [br /]
Began giving concerts. Published first book.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1899[/b][br /]
Received doctorate of philosophy, University of Strasbourg.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1900[/b][br /]
Received a licentiate degree in theology; ordained as curate.[br /]
[br /]
[b]January 14, 1905[/b][br /]
Decided to study medicine and go to Africa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1906[/b][br /]
Began medical studies, University of Strasbourg.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1912[/b][br /]
Married Helene Bresslau.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1913[/b][br /]
Completed internship and received M.D. degree. Left for Africa.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1914-17[/b][br /]
Considered enemy alien by French authorities, but could continue medical practice.[br /]
[br /]
[b]September 1915[/b][br /]
Found the words, 'Reverence for Life' that summed up his philosophy.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1917[/b][br /]
The Schweitzers transferred to France as civilian interns.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1918[/b][br /]
Returned to Alsace in poor health.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1919-1923[/b][br /]
Daughter was born, recovered health, practiced medicine, lectured widely, gave organ concerts, preached, wrote and published books.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1924-1927[/b][br /]
Returned to Africa, and rebuilt hospital at new location.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1927-1939[/b][br /]
Made several trips to and from Africa. Lectured widely and played organ throughout Europe.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1939-1948[/b][br /]
Remained in Lambarene during World War II. Mrs. Schweitzer rejoined him after a hazardous escape from Europe.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1949[/b][br /]
First and only trip to the United States.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1953[/b][br /]
Accepted the 1952 Noble Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway and gold replica of the Albert Schweitzer Medal of the Animal Welfare Institute.[br /]
[br /]
[b]May 30, 1957[/b][br /]
Death of Helene Scheweitzer in Switzerland.[br /]
[br /]
[b]December 4, 1957[/b][br /]
Returned to Lambarene for the 13th and last time.[br /]
[br /]
[b]1958-1963[/b][br /]
Worked for nuclear test ban treaty. Became one of the world’s leading citizen. Period of great expansion at hospital.[br /]
[br /]
[b]May 6, 1963[/b][br /]
Endorsed a U.S. Senate bill to reduce laboratory animal suffering.[br /]
[br /]
[b]March 1965[/b][br /]
His dogs, cats, and monkeys were put to death by authorities due to rabies epidemic.[br /]
[br /]
[b]September 4, 1965[/b][br /]
Died at Lambarene at the age of 90.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
• As we acquire more knowledge, things do not become more comprehensible, but more mysterious.[br /]
[br /]
• The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.[br /]
[br /]
• An optimist is a person who sees green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight… The truly wise person is color blind.[br /]
[br /]
• From native simplicity we arrive at more profound simplicity[br /]
[br /]
• The city of truth cannot be built on the swampy ground of skepticism.[br /]
[br /]
• We must never permit the voice of humanity within us to be silenced. It is man’s sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man.[br /]
[br /]
• Any religion or philosophy, which is not based on a respect for life is not a true religion or philosophy.[br /]
[br /]
• The time will come when public opinion will no longer tolerate amusements based on the mistreatment and killing of animals. The time will come, but when? When will we reach the point that hunting, the pleasure in killing animals for sport, will be regarded as a mental aberration?[br /]
[br /]
• Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct.[br /]
[br /]
• Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit. The roots of cruelty, therefore, are not so strong as widespread. But the time must come wherein humanity protected by custom and thoughtlessness will succumb before humanity championed by thought. Let us work that this time may come. The quiet conscience is an invention of the devil. Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace. It is man’s sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man.[br /]
[br /]
• It is not always granted to the sower to live to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in… FAITH.[br /]
[br /]
• My life is my argument.[br /]
[br /]
• The only progress that knowledge allows is in enabling us to describe more and more in detail the world we see and its evolution. What matters in a world–view is to grasp the meaning and purpose of everything, and that we cannot do.[br /]
[br /]
• I am life that with to live in the midst of other life that wills to live.[br /]
[br /]
• Do something for somebody everyday for which you do not get paid.[br /]
[br /]
• Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.[br /]
[br /]
• To think out in every implication the ethic of love for all creation… this is the difficult task which confronts our age.[br /]
[br /]
• Man’s ethics must not end with man, but should extend to the universe. He must regain the consciousness of the great Chain of Life from which he cannot be separated. He must understand that all creation has its value… Life should only be negated when it is for a higher value and purpose… not merely in selfish or thoughtless actions. What then results for man is not only a deepening of relationships, but a widening of relationship.[br /]
[br /]
• A man is ethical only when life, as such, is sacred to him, that of plants and animals as well as that of his fellowman, and when he devotes himself helpfully to all life that is in need of help.[br /]
[br /]
• It is a man’s sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man.[br /]
[br /]
• By respect for life [br /]
we become religious in a way[br /]
that is elementary, profound and alive.[br /]
[br /]
• Man can no longer live for himself alone. [br /]
We must realize that all life is valuable [br /]
and that we are united to all life. [br /]
From this knowledge comes our spiritual [br /]
relationship with the universe.[br /]
[br /]
• Happiness? That’s nothing more than a good health and a poor memory.[br /]
[br /]
• Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.[br /]
[br /]
• The highest proof of the spirit is love. Love the eternal thing which can already on earth possess as it really is.[br /]
[br /]
• Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.[br /]
[br /]
• Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly if they even roll a few more upon it.[br /]
[br /]
• Our degeneration, when it is traced back to its origin in our view of the world really consists in the fact that true optimism has vanished unperceived from our midst.[br /]
[br /]
• "The human spirit is not dead. It lives on in secret… It has come to believed that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind.”- Nobel Peace Prize address: The Problem of Peace in the World today.[br /]
[br /]
• Affirmation of life is the spiritual act by which man ceases to live unreflectively and begins to devote himself to his life with reverence in order to raise it to its true value. To affirm life is to deepen, to make more inward, and to exalt the will to live. At the same time the man who has become a thinking being feels a compulsion to give every will-to-live the same reverence for life that he gives to his own. He experiences that other life in his own. He accepts as being good to preserve life, to promote life, to raise to its highest value life, which is capable of development. This is the absolute, fundamental principle of the moral, and it is a necessity of thought.”-: from My Life and Thought.[br /]
[br /]
• "Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” – from The Philosophy of Civilization.[br /]
[br /]
• "In modern European thought a tragedy is occurring in that the original bonds uniting the affirmative attitude towards the world with ethics are, by a slow but irresistible process, loosening and finally parting.” – from My Life and Thought.[br /]
[br /]
• "It is our duty to share and maintain life. Reverence concerning all life in the greatest commandment in its most elementary form. Or expressed in negative terms : “Thou shalt not kill”. We take this prohibition so lightly, thoughtlessly plucking a flower, thoughtlessly stepping on a poor insect, thoughtlessly, in terrible blindness because everything takes its revenge, disregarding the suffering and liver of our fellow men, sacrificing them to trivial earthy goals.” – from Reverence For Life.[br /]
[br /]
• "Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct. Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit.” Extract from Memories of Childhood and Youth.[br /]
[br /]
• "Renunciation of thinking is a declaration of spiritual bankruptcy.” – from My Life and Thoughts.[br /]
[br /]
• "There are no heroes of action: only heroes of renunciation and suffering” – from My Life and Thoughts.[br /]
[br /]
• "Through the power which we win over the forces of nature we get also a gruesome kind of power over our fellow human beings.” – from My Life and Thoughts.[br /]
[br /]
• No one has ever come back from the other world. I can’t console you, but one thing I can tell you, as long as my ideas are alive I will be alive. We live in a dark frightening age. One reason for this is the part played by the ideology of inhumanity in our time.” – from Reverence For Life.[br /]
[br /]
• "Because I have confidence in the power of truths and of spirit, I believe in the future of mankind.”- from The Philosophy of Civilization.[br /]
[br /]
• "Our civilization lacks humane feeling. We are humans who are insufficiently humane! We must realize that and seek to find a new spirit. We have lost the sight of this ideal because we are solely occupied with thoughts of men instead of remembering that our goodness and compassion should extend to all creatures. Religion and philosophy have not insisted as much as they should on the fact that our kindness should include all living creatures.”- Letter to Aida Fleming[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
• The tragedy of life is what dies inside a man while he lives.[br /]
[br /]
• An optimist is a person who sees green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight… The truly wise person is color blind.[br /]
[br /]
• From native simplicity we arrive at more profound simplicity[br /]
[br /]
• The city of truth cannot be built on the swampy ground of skepticism.[br /]
[br /]
• We must never permit the voice of humanity within us to be silenced. It is man’s sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man.[br /]
[br /]
• Any religion or philosophy, which is not based on a respect for life is not a true religion or philosophy.[br /]
[br /]
• The time will come when public opinion will no longer tolerate amusements based on the mistreatment and killing of animals. The time will come, but when? When will we reach the point that hunting, the pleasure in killing animals for sport, will be regarded as a mental aberration?[br /]
[br /]
• Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct.[br /]
[br /]
• Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit. The roots of cruelty, therefore, are not so strong as widespread. But the time must come wherein humanity protected by custom and thoughtlessness will succumb before humanity championed by thought. Let us work that this time may come. The quiet conscience is an invention of the devil. Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace. It is man’s sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man.[br /]
[br /]
• It is not always granted to the sower to live to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in… FAITH.[br /]
[br /]
• My life is my argument.[br /]
[br /]
• The only progress that knowledge allows is in enabling us to describe more and more in detail the world we see and its evolution. What matters in a world–view is to grasp the meaning and purpose of everything, and that we cannot do.[br /]
[br /]
• I am life that with to live in the midst of other life that wills to live.[br /]
[br /]
• Do something for somebody everyday for which you do not get paid.[br /]
[br /]
• Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.[br /]
[br /]
• To think out in every implication the ethic of love for all creation… this is the difficult task which confronts our age.[br /]
[br /]
• Man’s ethics must not end with man, but should extend to the universe. He must regain the consciousness of the great Chain of Life from which he cannot be separated. He must understand that all creation has its value… Life should only be negated when it is for a higher value and purpose… not merely in selfish or thoughtless actions. What then results for man is not only a deepening of relationships, but a widening of relationship.[br /]
[br /]
• A man is ethical only when life, as such, is sacred to him, that of plants and animals as well as that of his fellowman, and when he devotes himself helpfully to all life that is in need of help.[br /]
[br /]
• It is a man’s sympathy with all creatures that first makes him truly a man.[br /]
[br /]
• By respect for life [br /]
we become religious in a way[br /]
that is elementary, profound and alive.[br /]
[br /]
• Man can no longer live for himself alone. [br /]
We must realize that all life is valuable [br /]
and that we are united to all life. [br /]
From this knowledge comes our spiritual [br /]
relationship with the universe.[br /]
[br /]
• Happiness? That’s nothing more than a good health and a poor memory.[br /]
[br /]
• Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.[br /]
[br /]
• The highest proof of the spirit is love. Love the eternal thing which can already on earth possess as it really is.[br /]
[br /]
• Ethics is the activity of man directed to secure the inner perfection of his own personality.[br /]
[br /]
• Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly if they even roll a few more upon it.[br /]
[br /]
• Our degeneration, when it is traced back to its origin in our view of the world really consists in the fact that true optimism has vanished unperceived from our midst.[br /]
[br /]
• "The human spirit is not dead. It lives on in secret… It has come to believed that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind.”- Nobel Peace Prize address: The Problem of Peace in the World today.[br /]
[br /]
• Affirmation of life is the spiritual act by which man ceases to live unreflectively and begins to devote himself to his life with reverence in order to raise it to its true value. To affirm life is to deepen, to make more inward, and to exalt the will to live. At the same time the man who has become a thinking being feels a compulsion to give every will-to-live the same reverence for life that he gives to his own. He experiences that other life in his own. He accepts as being good to preserve life, to promote life, to raise to its highest value life, which is capable of development. This is the absolute, fundamental principle of the moral, and it is a necessity of thought.”-: from My Life and Thought.[br /]
[br /]
• "Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace.” – from The Philosophy of Civilization.[br /]
[br /]
• "In modern European thought a tragedy is occurring in that the original bonds uniting the affirmative attitude towards the world with ethics are, by a slow but irresistible process, loosening and finally parting.” – from My Life and Thought.[br /]
[br /]
• "It is our duty to share and maintain life. Reverence concerning all life in the greatest commandment in its most elementary form. Or expressed in negative terms : “Thou shalt not kill”. We take this prohibition so lightly, thoughtlessly plucking a flower, thoughtlessly stepping on a poor insect, thoughtlessly, in terrible blindness because everything takes its revenge, disregarding the suffering and liver of our fellow men, sacrificing them to trivial earthy goals.” – from Reverence For Life.[br /]
[br /]
• "Very little of the great cruelty shown by men can really be attributed to cruel instinct. Most of it comes from thoughtlessness or inherited habit.” Extract from Memories of Childhood and Youth.[br /]
[br /]
• "Renunciation of thinking is a declaration of spiritual bankruptcy.” – from My Life and Thoughts.[br /]
[br /]
• "There are no heroes of action: only heroes of renunciation and suffering” – from My Life and Thoughts.[br /]
[br /]
• "Through the power which we win over the forces of nature we get also a gruesome kind of power over our fellow human beings.” – from My Life and Thoughts.[br /]
[br /]
• No one has ever come back from the other world. I can’t console you, but one thing I can tell you, as long as my ideas are alive I will be alive. We live in a dark frightening age. One reason for this is the part played by the ideology of inhumanity in our time.” – from Reverence For Life.[br /]
[br /]
• "Because I have confidence in the power of truths and of spirit, I believe in the future of mankind.”- from The Philosophy of Civilization.[br /]
[br /]
• "Our civilization lacks humane feeling. We are humans who are insufficiently humane! We must realize that and seek to find a new spirit. We have lost the sight of this ideal because we are solely occupied with thoughts of men instead of remembering that our goodness and compassion should extend to all creatures. Religion and philosophy have not insisted as much as they should on the fact that our kindness should include all living creatures.”- Letter to Aida Fleming[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[b]His work was finally known[/b][br /]
[br /]
Schweitzer built his hospital on the banks of Ogowe River, which he equipped and maintained from his income, which was later supplemented by gifts from individuals and foundations in many countries. He bought equipment and supplies for his hospital by giving organ concerts. Visitors from around the world started coming to his hospital. They found patients sitting on the ground outside the hospital cooking their own meals. These conditions would not have been acceptable in a hospital anywhere else but Schweitzer knew that Africans wouldn’t have stayed in hospital beds and they wouldn’t have eaten special hospital foods, so Schweitzer decided to treat the Africans in the only way they would allow treatment. The visitors created publicity. Doctors and helpers began to arrive to assist the doctor in the jungle. The value of work in this little hospital was finally becoming known.[br /]
[br /]
[b]…And they were named after him[/b][br /]
[br /]
Things and places named after and inspired by Dr. Schweitzer.[br /]
[br /]
• The Albert Schweitzer Institute in Wallingford, Connecticut.[br /]
[br /]
• Hospital Albert Schweitzer, Deschapelles, Haiti.[br /]
[br /]
• Albert–Schweitzer–Gymnasium.[br /]
[br /]
• Albert Schweitzer Society, USA.[br /]
[br /]
• Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism from Johns Hopkins University.[br /]
[br /]
• The Harvard School of Public Health Albert Schweitzer Award.[br /]
[br /]
• The Albert Schweitzer Institute at Chapman University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Honors[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Goethe prize of Frankfurt[br /]
[br /]
• Honorary doctorates from many Universities, which emphasized his achievements.[br /]
[br /]
• He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize.[br /]
[br /]
• In 1955, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Schweitzer the ‘Order of Merit’, Britain’s highest civilian honour.[br /]
[br /]
• He received the Peace Prize of the German book trade.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
Schweitzer built his hospital on the banks of Ogowe River, which he equipped and maintained from his income, which was later supplemented by gifts from individuals and foundations in many countries. He bought equipment and supplies for his hospital by giving organ concerts. Visitors from around the world started coming to his hospital. They found patients sitting on the ground outside the hospital cooking their own meals. These conditions would not have been acceptable in a hospital anywhere else but Schweitzer knew that Africans wouldn’t have stayed in hospital beds and they wouldn’t have eaten special hospital foods, so Schweitzer decided to treat the Africans in the only way they would allow treatment. The visitors created publicity. Doctors and helpers began to arrive to assist the doctor in the jungle. The value of work in this little hospital was finally becoming known.[br /]
[br /]
[b]…And they were named after him[/b][br /]
[br /]
Things and places named after and inspired by Dr. Schweitzer.[br /]
[br /]
• The Albert Schweitzer Institute in Wallingford, Connecticut.[br /]
[br /]
• Hospital Albert Schweitzer, Deschapelles, Haiti.[br /]
[br /]
• Albert–Schweitzer–Gymnasium.[br /]
[br /]
• Albert Schweitzer Society, USA.[br /]
[br /]
• Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism from Johns Hopkins University.[br /]
[br /]
• The Harvard School of Public Health Albert Schweitzer Award.[br /]
[br /]
• The Albert Schweitzer Institute at Chapman University.[br /]
[br /]
[b]Honors[/b][br /]
[br /]
• Goethe prize of Frankfurt[br /]
[br /]
• Honorary doctorates from many Universities, which emphasized his achievements.[br /]
[br /]
• He received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize.[br /]
[br /]
• In 1955, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Schweitzer the ‘Order of Merit’, Britain’s highest civilian honour.[br /]
[br /]
• He received the Peace Prize of the German book trade.[br /]
[br /]
[br /]
