Albert Schweitzer

Born in 1875 in Kaysersberg, in Alsace, Albert Schweitzer became known for an unusual range of talents: he was a theologian, philosopher, organist, writer, and physician. Before turning to medicine, he had already built a strong reputation through his work on religion and for his studies and performances of Bach.

In 1913, he went to Lambaréné in equatorial Africa and founded the hospital that would become the center of his life’s work. He later received the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize, which recognized both his humanitarian work and the ethical vision he called “reverence for life.”

Schweitzer died in 1965 in Lambaréné. Today he remains a fascinating and sometimes debated figure, remembered above all for the scale of his service, the moral seriousness of his writing, and the way he tried to unite thought and action.