Advertisement

Helene Bresslau-Schweitzer

Advertisement

Helene Bresslau-Schweitzer Famous memorial

Birth
Berlin-Mitte, Mitte, Berlin, Germany
Death
6 Jan 1957 (aged 77)
Zürich, Bezirk Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
Burial
Lambaréné, Ogooue et des Lacs Department, Moyen-Ogooué, Gabon Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Humanitarian and Medical Pioneer. She co-founded her husband's famed missionary hospital, Lambarene. The child of a Jewish university professor at Strasbourg, who had his children baptized into Christianity, she was far more learned than most girls of her time. She was a skier, and had studied history, art, philosophy, nursing, and theology. She met Albert Schweitzer thru mutual friends in 1898 and a long courtship, conducted mainly thru letters, ensued. From 1902 to 1903, she worked as a governess and Russian translator in England, but returned to Germany to study nursing. Dr. Schweitzer first informed her of his decision to establish a mission in Africa in 1905. From 1905 to 1909, she was inspector of orphanages in Strasbourg, and, in 1908, established the first home for unwed mothers in Europe. She married Dr. Schweitzer on June 18, 1912, and, in 1913, departed with him to Lambarene. There, she served as the anesthetist in his hospital. During World War I, the Schweitzers were, as Germans in a French colony, interned. She developed tuberculosis, which resolved, but left her chronically weak. The birth of her only child in 1919 caused further deterioration of her health, and led to her return to Europe. Arriving in Germany, she and her daughter resided at Konigsfeld, but were forced to relocate to Lusanne in 1932 because of her Jewish ancestry, escaping the Nazis agendas against the Jewish population. Moving to New York in 1937, she was kept busy telling America about her husband's work, and raising money. She returned to Lambarene in 1940, and spent World War II sharing the work, before leaving Africa in 1946. She joined Dr. Schweitzer when he received the Nobel Prize in 1953, and made her final visit to Lambarene in 1956.
Humanitarian and Medical Pioneer. She co-founded her husband's famed missionary hospital, Lambarene. The child of a Jewish university professor at Strasbourg, who had his children baptized into Christianity, she was far more learned than most girls of her time. She was a skier, and had studied history, art, philosophy, nursing, and theology. She met Albert Schweitzer thru mutual friends in 1898 and a long courtship, conducted mainly thru letters, ensued. From 1902 to 1903, she worked as a governess and Russian translator in England, but returned to Germany to study nursing. Dr. Schweitzer first informed her of his decision to establish a mission in Africa in 1905. From 1905 to 1909, she was inspector of orphanages in Strasbourg, and, in 1908, established the first home for unwed mothers in Europe. She married Dr. Schweitzer on June 18, 1912, and, in 1913, departed with him to Lambarene. There, she served as the anesthetist in his hospital. During World War I, the Schweitzers were, as Germans in a French colony, interned. She developed tuberculosis, which resolved, but left her chronically weak. The birth of her only child in 1919 caused further deterioration of her health, and led to her return to Europe. Arriving in Germany, she and her daughter resided at Konigsfeld, but were forced to relocate to Lusanne in 1932 because of her Jewish ancestry, escaping the Nazis agendas against the Jewish population. Moving to New York in 1937, she was kept busy telling America about her husband's work, and raising money. She returned to Lambarene in 1940, and spent World War II sharing the work, before leaving Africa in 1946. She joined Dr. Schweitzer when he received the Nobel Prize in 1953, and made her final visit to Lambarene in 1956.

Bio by: Bob Hufford



Advertisement

Advertisement

How famous was Helene Bresslau-Schweitzer ?

Current rating: 3.81818 out of 5 stars

55 votes

Sign-in to cast your vote.

  • Maintained by: Find a Grave
  • Originally Created by: Bob Hufford
  • Added: Feb 28, 2009
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34278577/helene-bresslau-schweitzer: accessed ), memorial page for Helene Bresslau-Schweitzer (25 Jan 1879–6 Jan 1957), Find a Grave Memorial ID 34278577, citing Albert Schweitzer Hospital Grounds, Lambaréné, Ogooue et des Lacs Department, Moyen-Ogooué, Gabon; Maintained by Find a Grave.