Albert Schweitzer was one of the brave Europeans who, during the colonial era in Africa and a humanitarian crisis, dared to do something of real benefit for the people of the Black continent. Leaving behind a successful life in France, he went to the virgin forests of Equatorial Africa to provide much-needed medical assistance to its inhabitants. For his humanitarian feat, he received, among other things, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953. Einstein once said of him, “In this sad time like ours, here is a great man.”
He was born on January 14, 1875, in Kaysersberg, in Upper Alsace, as the second child in a family of a Protestant pastor. His grandfather was an organist, so Albert showed talent and interest in music at a very early age. At the age of five, he started playing the old piano at home, and three years later, even though his feet could barely reach the pedals, he began playing the organ, soon replacing his teacher during Mass.
After completing high school, He enrolled in piano and organ studies in Paris and at the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology at the University of Strasbourg. Over time, he became one of the greatest organists and one of the best connoisseurs of Bach’s works. He started his concert and musicological activities in 1905 by publishing a groundbreaking monograph on J.S. Bach called “Johann Sebastian Bach, Musician – Poet”. He was one of the first to point out the deep symbolism and aesthetics of Bach’s works, and his performances gained recognition in musical circles. He also studied organ construction and initiated the so-called Alsace reform, a movement for the restoration of traditional organ types, believing that old organs have a more natural sound than factory-made ones. His General Rule for Organ Construction was adopted at the International Musicians’ Congress in Vienna in 1909.
As a theologian, he studied the history of religion, especially Christianity, and from 1902 to 1912, he was a lecturer at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Strasbourg. During that time, he He studied the life and teachings of Jesus and concluded that Jesus preached love expressed through actions and that the essence of religious problems is ethics, the moral aspect of life. He later replaced Christian ethics with “respect for life,” finding the divine in everything that is alive. He engaged in philosophical problems in general, and particularly in the problems of the fate of contemporary society.
After reading an article seeking help for a mission in Congo, he decided to go on a charitable mission to Africa. In a letter to a friend, he writes: “Finally, it is clear to me that what defines my life is not science, not art, but simply being human.” He begins his book “On the Brink of the Rainforest,” in which he writes about his first African experiences, with the words: “I was a professor at Strasbourg University, an organist, and a writer; I left everything to become a doctor in Equatorial Africa. Why? Various accounts and stories from missionaries revealed to me the severe poverty of the indigenous people in the rainforest. The more I thought about it, the harder it was for me to understand how this could be. We, Europeans, pay so little attention to the great humanitarian task that we are called to perform in those distant countries. These thoughts have excited me so much that in my thirties I decided to study medicine and personally try to put my ideas into action there.” He emphasized that music and theology were a natural language for him, inherited from his ancestors, while medicine represented a whole new world to which he had to adapt. Although it was difficult for him, the goal he had in front of him was stronger than any doubts. During his medical studies, he used the income from his concerts, lectures, and writings to gather funds for purchasing medicine and medical supplies, as he had to secure the funds himself. This way, and with the help of friends, he managed to gather enough for his first trip. Donations from friends kept coming in over the years, providing him with the minimum means for living and working. In the spring of 1912, he went to Paris for a specialization in tropical medicine, and in the summer of the same year, he married Helene Bressl. Ouch, he plans to work together with her in Africa. In late March 1913, he travels to Africa for the first time, where he will work for forty-five years with minor interruptions.
Schweitzer arrived at the missionary center in Lambaréné, located a little south of the equator on the Ogoué River, which was part of the French colony Gabon. Today, there are “Friends of Lambaréné” societies in France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, England, the USA, and other countries. He described his first impressions and experiences like this: “The missionary center informed that patients could only approach the doctor three weeks after his arrival so that he could settle in during that time, unless it was an urgent case. Of course, no one followed this recommendation. Throughout the day, patients were coming to my house. It was difficult to provide them with assistance because anyone who happened to be there served as a translator, and I only had the medicines, instruments, and bandages that I brought with me.” He was the only doctor in the vicinity. and helping them understand how to use medicine.
Despite the constant obstacles and difficulties, Schweitzer’s efforts continued. He had to build a clinic to examine patients, as the tropical climate was relentless: the unbearable heat caused dangerous heat strokes, alternating with humid rainy periods. Medicines were constantly at risk of moisture and termites that would penetrate the metal boxes, destroying the precious contents. Every day, he would examine thirty to forty patients and perform surgeries when necessary. Initially, his only assistant was his wife, but over time, he trained local residents to become nurses and they joined his team. He fought against various tropical diseases and epidemics that were still unexplored, as well as poor hygiene and living conditions. Dealing with the prejudices and customs of the indigenous people was also challenging. Even explaining how to take medication required patience and perseverance: “I waste a lot of time explaining to them how to use the medicine.” These. The translator keeps repeating the same thing to them. And they have to repeat the instructions. We write it on the bottle or box so that someone in the village who can read can remind them. But I’m not sure they won’t drink the entire contents of the bottle at once, or eat the fat, or apply the powders to their skin.” Patients have always come for treatment accompanied by relatives, so he had great difficulty accommodating and feeding them. The construction of barracks for the needs of the hospital was a major undertaking and progressed slowly due to a lack of labor and materials, so he had to take matters into his own hands and set an example. He often went to distant villages at all times of the day and night to provide medical assistance, traveling miles by river in a pirogue, which was often threatened by hippos. The indigenous people called him the “Great Doctor” or “Oganga” (magician, shaman), and they had great trust in him. In one place, he wrote: “So far, all operations have ended successfully. The trust of the natives has grown so much that it worries me.” He succeeded in preparing his works, which he would finish in Europe, and correspond with good-hearted people from all over the world. He spent rare moments of rest playing Bach and other musical giants on his piano with organ pedals, which he received as a gift from Bach’s society in Paris just before going to Africa. He occasionally held lectures and concerts throughout Europe to raise funds for expanding the hospital.
In addition to practicing medicine, Schweitzer educated the black population, fought against racial prejudices and colonialism: “…Are we the masters of these lands and these people only to use them as raw material producers for our industry, or are we responsible for developing a new social order that can bring them prosperity? In my opinion, we only have the right to colonize if we have the moral authority to exert such influence.” Since the inhabitants of the jungle took everything they needed for life from nature, they did not need money. Therefore, they did not have the need to work for the colonizers. This was detrimental to colonial trade in wood and various goods, so the government forced the population into hard work by imposing taxes and creating artificial needs for money and other necessities. Schweitzer wrote: “We, civilized nations, have an obligation. We do not have a choice whether or not to help the colored peoples. We must help them. Our help is not mercy, but compensation for the harm done. For every person who has caused suffering to the indigenous peoples, one of us must go to distant lands and offer them assistance. Even when we do everything we can, we have only redeemed a small part of the injustices committed. All our humanitarianism in faraway lands should be based on that.”
The First World War brought scarcity and hunger to Africa, but the hospital continued its operations until 1917, when Schweitzer, as a civilian prisoner, was forcibly taken to France. Even then, he did not give up his mission, but instead gave a series of lectures and concerts throughout Europe. They collected funds to continue their operation in Africa.
In 1924, he returned to Lambaréné. The hospital, whose foundations he laid, was destroyed by war, so he had to start from scratch: “…But I still courageously continue because of the misery I have seen with my own eyes. My trust is unwavering because I believe in humanity. I believe that I will find people who, having been saved from pain and suffering themselves, will want to prove their gratitude by giving contributions to those who are suffering. May there soon be as many doctors as possible whom the community, marked by suffering, will send to all four corners of the world.” Soon, other doctors joined him in improving the living and health conditions of the jungle inhabitants.
A new and larger hospital had to be built, so he worked tirelessly for the next three years, spending half of his day at the construction site as a supervisor and builder, and the other half treating patients. The effort paid off: “I will never forget the first evening in the new hospital. Behind all the fires, behind In all mosquito net networks, cries echo: “That’s a good hut, doctor, a good hut!” Now, for the first time since I’ve been working in Africa, my patients are housed as they should be, in a manner befitting a human being.” Until the end of his life, he remained the “Great Doctor” and a great friend to his black brothers, providing them with what they needed most – selfless love and assistance. He died on September 4, 1965, in Lambaréné.
Albert Schweitzer was a Homo universalis, a rare occurrence in today’s world, and his life and work are shining examples of humanity in this dehumanized world. He showed that a person can, through their own effort and dedication, leave the world a little better and more beautiful than they found it. His contributions to medicine are significant, but not of a technical nature. Through words and actions, he demonstrated the great ethical value of medical work. He brought his philosophical concepts about active compassion, helping those in need as the highest attainment of ethics, to life in his own life. “… All those who have experienced pain and suffering around the world are bound by a mysterious bond. Also. Let the one who has already freed themselves from suffering not think that they are free again and that they can return to life as if nothing has happened. They have experienced suffering and pain, now they must fight against them and contribute to the best of their human power to the salvation of others, just as others have helped them. “