The Nobel Peace Prize 1952
Albert Schweitzer
Albert Schweitzer (January 14, 1875-September 4,
1965) was born into an Alsatian family which for generations had
been devoted to religion, music, and education. His father and
maternal grandfather were ministers; both of his grandfathers
were talented organists; many of his relatives were persons of
scholarly attainments.
Schweitzer entered into his intensive theological studies in 1893
at the University of Strasbourg where he obtained a doctorate in
philosophy in 1899, with a dissertation on the religious
philosophy of Kant, and received his licentiate in theology in
1900. He began preaching at St. Nicholas Church in Strasbourg in
1899; he served in various high ranking administrative posts from
1901 to 1912 in the Theological College of St.Thomas, the college
he had attended at the University of Strasbourg. In 1906 he
published The Quest of the Historical Jesus, a book on
which much of his fame as a theological scholar rests.
Meanwhile he continued with a distinguished musical career
initiated at an early age with piano and organ lessons. Only nine
when he first performed in his father's church, he was, from his
young manhood to his middle eighties, recognized as a concert
organist, internationally known. From his professional
engagements he earned funds for his education, particularly his
later medical schooling, and for his African hospital.
Musicologist as well as performer, Schweitzer wrote a biography
of Bach in 1905
in French, published a book on organ building and playing in
1906, and rewrote the Bach book in German in 1908.
Having decided to go to Africa as a medical missionary rather
than as a pastor, Schweitzer in 1905 began the study of medicine
at the University of Strasbourg. In 1913, having obtained his
M.D. degree, he founded his hospital at Lambaréné in
French Equatorial Africa, but in 1917 he and his wife were sent
to a French internment camp as prisoners of war. Released in
1918, Schweitzer spent the next six years in Europe, preaching in
his old church, giving lectures and concerts, taking medical
courses, writing On the Edge of the Primeval Forest, The Decay
and Restoration of Civilization, Civilization and Ethics, and
Christianity and the Religions of the World.
Schweitzer returned to Lambaréné in 1924 and except for
relatively short periods of time, spent the remainder of his life
there. With the funds earned from his own royalties and personal
appearance fees and with those donated from all parts of the
world, he expanded the hospital to seventy buildings which by the
early 1960's could take care of over 500 patients in residence at
any one time.
At Lambaréné, Schweitzer was doctor and surgeon in the
hospital, pastor of a congregation, administrator of a village,
superintendent of buildings and grounds, writer of scholarly
books, commentator on contemporary history, musician, host to
countless visitors. The honors he received were numerous,
including the Goethe Prize of Frankfurt and honorary doctorates
from many universities emphasizing one or another of his
achievements. The Nobel Peace Prize for 1952, having been
withheld in that year, was given to him on December 10, 1953.
With the $33,000 prize money, he started the leprosarium at
Lambaréné.
Albert Schweitzer died on September 4, 1965, and was buried at
Lambaréné.
Selected Bibliography
Anderson, Erica, The Schweitzer Album. New York, Harper
& Row, 1965.
Jack, H.A., ed., To Dr. Albert Schweitzer: A Festschrift
Commemorating His 80th Birthday. Evanston, Illinois, Friends
of Albert Schweitzer, 1955. Contains an excellent bibliography up
to 1955.
Joy, Charles R., Music in the Life of Albert Schweitzer:
Selections from His Writings. London, A. & C. Black,
1953.
McKnight, Gerald, Verdict on Schweitzer: The Man behind the
Legend of Lambaréné. New York, John Day, 1964.
Montague, Joseph Franklin, The Why of Albert Schweitzer.
New York, Hawthorn Books, 1965
Mozley, E.N., The Theology of Albert Schweitzer for Christian
Inquirers. New York, Macmillan, 1951.
Picht, Werner, Albert Schweitzer: The Man and His Work.
London, Allen & Unwin 1964. Also published under the title
The Life and Thought of Albert Schweitzer. New York,
Harper & Row, 1964.
Schweitzer, Albert, Christianity and the Religions of the
World. (Das Christentum und die Weltreligionen. Bern,
Paul Haupt, 1924.) Translated by Joanna Powers. London, Allan
& Unwin, 1939.
Schweitzer, Albert, Cultural Philosophy I: The Decay and the
Restoration of Civilization. (Kulturphilosophie I: Verfall
und Wiederaufbau der Kultur. Bern, Paul Haupt, 1923.)
Translated by C.T. Campion. London, A. & C. Black. 2nd ea.,
1932.
Schweitzer, Albert, Cultural Philosophy II: Civilization and
Ethics. (Kulturphilosophie II: Kultur und Ethik. Bern, Paul
Haupt, 1923.) Translated by John Naish. London, A. & C.
Black, 1929.
Schweitzer, Albert, Deutsche und französische
Orgelbaukunst und Orgelkunst. Leipzig, Breitkopf &
Härtel, 1906.
Schweitzer, Albert, From My African Notehook.
(Afrikanische Geschichten. Leipzig, Flix Meiner. 1938.)
Translated by Mrs. C.E.B. Russell. London, Allen & Unwin,
1938.
Schweitzer, Albert, Goethe: Five Studies, translated by
Charles R. Joy. Boston, Beacon Press, 1961.
Schweitzer, Albert, Indian Thought and Its Development.
(Die Weltanschanung der indischen Denker: Mystik und
Ethik. Munich, C.H. Beck, 1935.) Translated by Mrs. C.E.B.
Russell. London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1936.
Schweitzer, Albert, J.S. Bach, translated [into English]
by Ernest Newman. 2 vols. London, A. & C. Black, 1911. (First
published in French, J.S. Bach: Le Musicien-poète. Avec
la collaboration de M. Hubert Gillot. Paris, Costallat,
1905.)
Schweitzer, Albert, Memoirs of Childhood and Youth.
(Aus meiner Kindheit und Jugendzeit. Munich, C. H. Beck,
1924.) Translated by C. T. Campion. London, Allen & Unwin,
1924. New York, Macmillan 1949.
Schweitzer, Albert, More from the Primeval Forest. (Das
Urwaldspital zu Lambaréné. Munich, C.H. Beck,
1931.) Translated by C.T. Campion. London, A. & C. Black,
1931.
Schweitzer, Albert, The Mysticism of Paul the Apostle.
(Die Mystik des Apostels Paulus. Tübingen, J.C.B.
Mohr, 1930.) Translated by W. Montgomery. London, A. & C.
Black, 1931.
Schweitzer, Albert, On the Edge of the Primeval Forest.
(Zwischen Wasser und Urwald. Upsala, Lindblad, 1920.)
Translated by C. T. Campion. London, A.& C. Black,
1922.
Schweitzer, Albert, Out of My Life and Thought: An
Autobiography. (Aus meinem Leben und Denken. Leipzig,
Felix Meiner, 1931.) Translated by C.T. Campion. New York, Henry
Holt, 1933; 1949.
Schweitzer, Albert, Paul and His Interpreters: A Ctitical
History. (Geschichte der Paulnischen Forschung von der
Reformation bis auf die Gegenwart. Tübingen, J.C.B.
Mohr, 1911.) Translated by W. Montgomery. London, A. & C.
Black, 1912.
Schweitzer, Albert, Peace or Atomic War? (Three appeals
broadcast from Oslo on April 28, 29 and 30, 1958.) London, A.
& C. Black, 1958.
Schweitzer, Albert, The Psychiatric Study of Jesus.
(Die psychiatrische Beurteilung Jesu: Darstellung und
Kritik. Tübingen, J.C.B. Mohr, 1913.) Translated by
Charles R. Joy. Boston, Beacon Press, 1948.
Schweitzer, Albert, The Quest of the Historical Jesus: A Critical
Study of Its Progress from Reimarus to Wrede. (von Reimarus zu
Wrede: Eine Geschichte der Leben-Jesu-Forschung. Tübingen,
J. C. B. Mohr, 1906.) Translated by W. Mongomery. London. A &
C. Black, 1910.
Seaver, George, Albert Schweitzer: Christian
Revolutionary. London, A. & C. Black, 1944. 2nd ed. rev.
1955.
Seaver, George, Albert Schweitzer: The Man and His Mind.
New York, Harper, 1947.
From Nobel Lectures, Peace 1951-1970, Editor Frederick W. Haberman, Elsevier Publishing Company, Amsterdam, 1972
This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and first published in the book series Les Prix Nobel. It was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.
Copyright © The Nobel Foundation 1972
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