Dr. Albert Schweitzer arrived in Africa on April 16, 1913 to establish a hospital deep in the jungle along the Ogowe River, fulfilling a promise he made to himself at age 21 to study medicine and serve others without using words. Within hours of arriving, Schweitzer and his wife Helene began seeing patients in a disused chicken coop as they worked to immediately start construction of the hospital. Though the work was daunting, Schweitzer never lost sight of his larger humanitarian vision to help people along the river, which became clear to him during thoughtful boat trips to visit patients.
Schuilnaam van Marie José van België was markiezin de San MaurizioThierry Debels
"That he (Sebrechts) performed surgery on members of the court was fortunately not public knowledge. In 1941, Princess Marie-José, daughter of Albert I and Elisabeth, wife of Prince Umberto of Piemont, who would later briefly be king of Italy, made a visit. Due to the special circum- stances brought about by the war, she was admitted anonymously to St. Joseph’s clinic in Bruges as “la Marquise de San Maurizio”. After the operation, Sebrechts gave her some Cuban Havana cigars, which she was known to smoke frequently. Despite this vice, she lived to the ripe old age of 94.
Some time later, at the express request of the Royal House (owing to the house arrest of the King), Dr. Sebrechts, only assisted by Dr. Jules Helleputte, performed surgery in the castle of Laeken on the Princess of Rethy, Lilian Baels, the second wife of King Leopold III. He had already treated her youngest sister Solange for sequels of poliomyelitis. When he returned home, he complained that a similar adventure outside of his familiar surroundings was not to be repeated. In September 1942, Princess Josephine-Charlotte, later to become The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, underwent an urgent appendectomy at St. Joseph’s clinic. Looking for anonymity outside the clinic due to the German occupation of Belgium, she recovered, and even took her first steps in Sebrechts’ private house in Bruges."
Schuilnaam van Marie José van België was markiezin de San MaurizioThierry Debels
"That he (Sebrechts) performed surgery on members of the court was fortunately not public knowledge. In 1941, Princess Marie-José, daughter of Albert I and Elisabeth, wife of Prince Umberto of Piemont, who would later briefly be king of Italy, made a visit. Due to the special circum- stances brought about by the war, she was admitted anonymously to St. Joseph’s clinic in Bruges as “la Marquise de San Maurizio”. After the operation, Sebrechts gave her some Cuban Havana cigars, which she was known to smoke frequently. Despite this vice, she lived to the ripe old age of 94.
Some time later, at the express request of the Royal House (owing to the house arrest of the King), Dr. Sebrechts, only assisted by Dr. Jules Helleputte, performed surgery in the castle of Laeken on the Princess of Rethy, Lilian Baels, the second wife of King Leopold III. He had already treated her youngest sister Solange for sequels of poliomyelitis. When he returned home, he complained that a similar adventure outside of his familiar surroundings was not to be repeated. In September 1942, Princess Josephine-Charlotte, later to become The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, underwent an urgent appendectomy at St. Joseph’s clinic. Looking for anonymity outside the clinic due to the German occupation of Belgium, she recovered, and even took her first steps in Sebrechts’ private house in Bruges."
Pepys & Defoe: The Great Plague of London 1665Carol Marque
This was designed as a self-contained virtual classroom lesson for one period of British Literature class. Students read an introduction to the plague and then read two accounts of the Bubonic plague by Pepys and Defoe. They then answer questions and create their own diary of their own town.
Pepys & Defoe: The Great Plague of London 1665Carol Marque
This was designed as a self-contained virtual classroom lesson for one period of British Literature class. Students read an introduction to the plague and then read two accounts of the Bubonic plague by Pepys and Defoe. They then answer questions and create their own diary of their own town.
4. But the story today starts with this
monument in Colmar, which captured
the young Schweitzer’s childish
imagination and made him think of
Africa.
5. The 21 year old Schweitzer decides to
live the academic life until he’s 30, and
then to endeavour to seek a way to
serve without having to use words.
6. The house master and professor of theology with his students at Strasbourg University.
But in line with the promise he made to himself aged 21, he now decides in addition,
to study medicine there, in order to go to Africa as a doctor.
7. Whilst studying the organ
with Widor in Paris,
and by now an authority
on J. S. Bach,
Schweitzer gives organ
recitals to raise funds in
order to finance a new
hospital in Africa.
8. Now ready to go to Africa as a doctor, Schweitzer gives his last sermon to his congregation at
St. Nicolai in Strasbourg on the 9th of March 1913.
The text is ( Philippians 4. 7. ):
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.”
9. On Good Friday 1913 Albert and his wife, Helene, leave Guensbach,
and on the 16th April they arrive at their destination deep in the tropical jungle on the
banks of the river Ogowe.
17. Whilst deep in thought on one of his many boat trips to see patients up and down the river,
the full significance of “reverence for life” for the future of humankind becomes clear to him.
18. Eventually his work becomes well
known and he is awarded the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1952.
Here he is enrobed in preparation to
receive an Honorary Degree at
Cambridge University on the
22 October 1955, the same year in
which he received the Order of Merit
from the Queen.
19. Except when in the operating theatre, wherever he is, in and around the hospital, some
animal or other is never far away.
20. First up in the morning and last to extinguish the paraffin lamp at night, we would often see
him late at night, aged 88, trying to keep up with his global correspondence.