Dr. Albert Schweitzer – the Humanitarian’s Humanitarian a Personal Tribute

When one considers the history of the twentieth century, many personages, events, movements and predominantly, war, two world wars, springs to mind. All to often, as a history teacher, the curriculum dictates that we teach about the causes and terrible events and crimes in these two wars; the millions of young lads killed in the first world war and the insane acts of genocide, the holocaust, and the unnecessary Atomic bombing on two cities in Japan, thus ending the second world war. As a history teacher, communicating these terrible events year after year, becomes tedious if not bordering on the unnecessary. Why not teach about the advances in technology that has made our lives so much easier or about important people who made a difference, giving us something to strive for in our day to day lives. To my mind, Albert Schweitzer is one such individual.

Born in Germany in 1875, his childhood was relatively normal, however it became evident early on that he was a deeply religious personality. In line with this sensibility, Schweitzer was a terribly sensitive adolescent. Born into a middle class family, and the values and mores that come with this class, he was expected to keep himself clean and dress accordingly. He attended a public school and, of course, there were students who came from poor families and therefore could not afford new clothing. Young Schweitzer being all too aware of this, would dress in his old cloths under his new ones, and change before arriving to class. His reason was he didn’t want to incite any form of jealousy in his fellow pupils. This act was not to save himself from ridicule but save the feelings of his less fortunate classmates.

In his twenties, Schweitzer studied philosophy and theology, earning a PhD in philosophy. He was also a master of the church organ, a musician of some renown, and eventually becoming an international expert on Bach. In fact, to pay school fees and basically live, he would play the organ for public and private audiences to make ends meet.

Schweitzer became aware of his mission to serve his fellow travellers on this planet somewhat late in life. An established philosopher and theologian at age thirty, a principal of a respected seminary, he awoke one morning to realize everything life had given him, and it was time to give back. After reading an article calling for trained medical staff to work in West Africa, he knew what he needed to do. Against heavy opposition from family and friends, he returned to university as a mature-aged student to study medicine, attaining his degree.

What is most striking about this man was his incredible capacity for work. He held Doctorates in three major subjects - theology, philosophy and medicine and was an accomplished organist and world expert on Bach. Schweitzer's published works in theology, philosophy and music remain in circulation, which continue to shed light in these areas. His "Reverence for Life" philosophy on the surface, appears almost too simplistic, but on closer examination, is a worldview that encompasses an attitude of mind, that if practiced, could radically change the world for the better. Schweitzer was not a philosopher of the abstract variety, at home in an ivory tower creating complex theories that only a select few would understand. As the man said and wrote many times, "he lived his argument" and his accomplishments certainly prove this.

In 1913, Albert and his wife Helen landed in West Africa and established the first hospital, Andende. When they first arrived in the stifling heat and humidity of the jungle, finally reaching their destination only to find a broken down tin shack left by missionaries years before. Most would turn back, thinking this mission is all too hard, but the Schweitzer’s forged ahead, eventually building Lambarene, as it is still called today.

If you are truly interested in this great mind, read his short autobiography Out of My Life and Thought. One should not expect too much detail, however, as the text only gives us glimpses into the man's life and the singular events that shaped who he was and what he became and, more importantly, what he accomplished. Schweitzer focuses mainly on the development of his theological and philosophical thought, beginning with his early endeavours leading to his famous work, `The Quest for the Historical Jesus'. From this point, he continues on towards the shaping of his magnum opus, `Philosophy of Civilization'. It is in this section of the text that he discusses two worldviews of life-affirmation and life-denial and pessimism. This work evolves into his philosophical perspective of Reverence for Life.

The biography ends in the year 1931, well before the advent of the Second World War. Schweitzer was only fifty-six years of age when he penned this work, well before receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, living and working for another forty-four years. Curiously, when his publisher requested that he write an autobiography, he was hesitant, as he was more or less still in his prime. However, as he wrote to his publisher fourteen years later on his seventieth birthday, memory fades with age, and he believed that writing about himself at that stage of his life, he could put down those important memories that remained fresh in his mind.

Schweitzer is certainly an inspiration - a man of immense strength, physically, emotionally and spiritually, with an almost endless capacity for work. The man worked in the most difficult of circumstances. Practicing medicine in intense tropical heat, day after day, disease run rampant; constant worry over funds to purchase much needed medical supplies. Moreover, the terrible events of two world wars - the odds he worked against to maintain the Lambarene Hospital, to my mind, is simply unimaginable. But the man persisted, rising every morning to meet disease, suffering, violence, death and loneliness.

Dr. Schweitzer received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953.

During this time, a serious antagonism erupted between the United States government and the old doctor, as Schweitzer and other activists, such as Albert Einstein and philosopher, Bertrand Russell, exposed to the public at large the fall-out hazards of the hydrogen bomb testing that the government wanted to keep secret, as the Cold War was then in full swing.

After sixty years of devotional service and hard work, Dr. Albert Schweitzer died in 1965 at the age of ninety. As was his wish, he was buried at his beloved hospital, Lambarene along with his wife, Helen.

There has been so much superficial talk these days in the media and from our “game show host” politicians that we are not teaching our young the important values in order for them to grow into valuable and contributing members of society. To be sure, if there was ever an individual in recent history that would be a ‘model’ for our young to follow, it would be Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

In my last web log entry, I posted a quote from the great man that really encompasses his views on life and the way he lived it. It is worth posting again:

You must give some time to your fellow men. Even if it's a little thing, do something for others - something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it.

Albert Schweitzer