Albert Schweitzer was one of the courageous Europeans who, during the colonialism in Africa and the great humanitarian crisis, dared to do something of real benefit for the people of the African 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 such as ours, here is a great man.”
He was born on January 14, 1875, in Kaysersberg, in Upper Alsace, as the second child in a Protestant minister’s family. His grandfather was an organist, so Albert showed early talent and interest in music. At the age of five, he started playing the old household piano, and three years later, even though his feet barely reached the pedals, he began playing the organ, soon replacing his teacher during mass.
After finishing 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 foremost experts on Bach’s works. He began his concert and musicological career in 1905 with the publication of a groundbreaking monograph on J.S. Bach titled “Johann Sebastian Bach, Musician – Poet”. In it, he was one of the first to highlight the deep symbolism and aesthetics of Bach’s works, and through his performances, he gained recognition in musical circles. He also studied organ construction and initiated the so-called Alsace Reform, a movement to revive traditional types of organs, believing that old organs have a more natural sound than factory-made ones. His General Rule for Organ Construction was adopted at the International Musicologists Congress in Vienna in 1909.
As a theologian, he studied the history of religion, particularly Christianity, and from 1902 to 1912 he was a lecturer at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Strasbourg. During this time, he also delved into the philosophical and ethical aspects of religion and its relationship to music and art. He studied the life and teachings of Jesus and concluded that Jesus preached love expressed through action, 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 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 philanthropic mission to Africa. In a letter to a friend, he writes: “Finally, it is clear to me that what makes my life is not science, not art, but simply being human.” He begins his book “On the Edge of the Rainforest,” in which he writes about his first African experiences, with the words: “I was a professor at the University of Strasbourg, an organist, and a writer; I left everything behind to become a doctor in Equatorial Africa. Why? Various accounts and stories told by missionaries revealed to me the severe poverty of the native people of the rainforest. The more I thought about it, the harder it became for me to understand how it We, Europeans, take so little care of the great humanitarian task we are called to perform in those distant countries. These thoughts excited me so much that at the age of thirty I decided to study medicine and personally try to implement my ideas there.” He emphasized that music and theology were a natural language for him inherited from his ancestors, and medicine represented a new world to which he still had to adapt. Although it was difficult for him, the goal he had set for himself was stronger than any doubt. During his medical studies, he collected income from his concerts, lectures, and writings to purchase medicine and medical supplies, as he had to secure the funds himself. In this way, and with the help of friends, he managed to collect enough for his first trip. Donations from friends came for years, providing him with minimal means for living and working. In the spring of 1912, he went to Paris to specialize in tropical medicine, and in the same year, he married Helene Bressl. Ouch, with whom he plans to work together in Africa. At the end of March 1913, he travels to Africa for the first time, where he will work for forty-five years with few breaks.
Schweitzer arrived at the missionary center in Lambaréné, located just south of the equator on the Ogoué River, which was part of the French colony of Gabon. Today, there are still “Friends of Lambaréné” societies in France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, England, the United States, and other countries. He described his first impressions and experiences like this: “The missionary center announced that patients could see the doctor only 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. Patients arrived in front of my house throughout the day. It was difficult to provide them with assistance because anyone who happened to be there served as an interpreter, and I only had the medicines, instruments, and bandages that I brought with me.” He was the only doctor in the area. Schweitzer faced constant obstacles and difficulties in his efforts. He had to start by building a clinic where he could examine patients, as the tropical climate was unforgiving: unbearable heat caused dangerous sunstroke and alternated with humid rainy periods. Medications were constantly at risk of moisture and termites that penetrated the metal boxes, destroying their precious contents. Every day, he examined thirty to forty patients and performed surgeries when necessary. In the beginning, his only assistant was his wife, and over time, local residents joined him as hospital staff whom he had trained. He fought against various, still unexplored tropical diseases and epidemics, as well as poor hygiene and living conditions. Dealing with the prejudices and customs of the indigenous people was challenging. Even giving instructions on how to take medication required patience and perseverance: “I waste a lot of time explaining to them how to use the medicine.” The translator keeps repeating the same thing. And they have to repeat the instructions. We write it on the bottle or box so that someone in the village who knows how to read can be reminded. But I’m not sure they won’t drink the entire contents of the bottle at once, or ingest the fat or rub themselves with powders.” Patients always came for treatment accompanied by relatives, so he had great difficulties with their accommodation and nutrition. The construction of barracks for the needs of the hospital was a big undertaking and progressed slowly due to a lack of manpower and materials, so he had to take the initiative himself and set an example. He often went to distant villages at all times of day and night to provide medical assistance, traveling miles by river in a pirogue, which was often threatened by hippos. The jungle people called him “The Great Doctor” or “Oganga” (witch doctor) and had great trust in him. In one place he wrote: “So far, all surgeries have ended successfully. The trust of the natives has grown so much that it worries me.” He succeeded in preparing his works that he would finish in Europe and correspond with kind-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 before leaving for Africa. Occasionally, he would give lectures and concerts across Europe to raise funds for expanding the hospital.
In addition to medical treatment, Schweitzer educated the black population, fought against racial prejudices and colonialism: “…Are we the masters of these countries and peoples only to use them as producers of raw materials for our industry, or are we responsible for developing a new social order that is capable of bringing them prosperity? In my opinion, we have the right to colonize only if we have the moral authority to exert such influence.” As the inhabitants of the rainforest took everything they needed for their lives from nature, they did not need money. Therefore, they did not have the need to work for the colonizers. This was detrimental to the colonial trade in wood and various provisions, so the government forced the population into hard work by imposing taxes on them 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 colored peoples. We must help them. Our help is not charity, but compensation for the wrongs done. For each person who has caused suffering to the indigenous peoples, one of us must go to distant lands and provide them with assistance. Even when we do everything we can, we have only redeemed a small part of the injustices committed. That should be the basis for all our humanitarian efforts in distant countries.”
The First World War brought scarcity and hunger to Africa, but the hospital continued to operate until 1917, when Schweitzer was forcibly taken to France as a civilian prisoner. Even then, he did not interrupt his mission, but gave a series of lectures and concerts throughout Europe. They collect funds to continue their work in Africa.
In 1924, he returned to Lambaréné. The hospital whose foundations he laid was destroyed by war, so he had to start over: “… But I bravely 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, themselves saved from pain and suffering, will want to prove their gratitude by giving contributions to those who are suffering. Let there soon be as many doctors as possible whom the community, marked with the same seal of 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.
They needed to build a new and larger hospital, so he worked hard for the next three years, spending half of the 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 “All mosquito nets resound with cries: ‘That’s a good hut, doctor, a good hut!’ Now, for the first time since I have been working in Africa, my patients are accommodated as befits humans.” 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 society. He showed that a person can, through their own efforts and selflessness, leave the world a little better and more beautiful than they found it. His contributions to medicine are significant, but they are not of a technical nature. Through words and actions, he demonstrated the ethical value of medical work. He brought his philosophical concepts of active compassion and helping people in need as the highest achievement of ethics to life in his own life. “…All those who have experienced pain and suffering throughout the world are bound by a mysterious bond.” Nor should one who has already freed themselves from suffering think that they are free again and can return to life as if nothing had happened. They have experienced suffering and pain; now they must fight against them and contribute, to the best of their human ability, to the salvation of others, just as others have helped them. “