Albert Schweitzer died on 4 September 1965 at 11:30 p.m. To mark this moment, 60 years later, the Albert Schweitzer House in Gunsbach and the co-publishers of the book Mon Schweitzer are organising a remembrance ceremony on Thursday 4 September, starting at 10:30 p.m.
Anyone who feels connected to Albert Schweitzer in any way is invited to gather in front of the entrance to the Albert Schweitzer Museum in Gunsbach, bringing a candle with them.
Some volunteers from the Albert Schweitzer House, members of the House team, and the authors of the book Mon Schweitzer will read a letter they wrote to the Nobel Peace Prize winner. This will be a way to show how much they care about him and talk about how he’s a part of their everyday lives.
The speeches will be interspersed with musical interludes featuring Eliane Warth, director of the Munster Valley School of Music, Theatre and Dance; Jean-Martin Meyer, director of the accordion company La Grégoria; and trumpeters David Goltzene and Christophe Kirchenmeyer.
At 11:30 p.m., the time of Albert Schweitzer’s death, the bells of Gunsbach Church will ring for a collective moment of reflection. The Gunsbach Town Hall has sent a message to all residents inviting them to join in this solemn occasion and gather in front of the entrance to the Albert Schweitzer Museum.
And because this evening is intended to be joyful rather than mournful, the public will then be invited to watch two films made by Francis Guthleben. One features a long message from Albert Schweitzer that has never been heard in its entirety before. The other is a completely new testimony from one of his descendants, recorded a few days ago.
Each participant in the evening will leave with a gift related to the Nobel Peace Prize, offered by the Albert Schweitzer House in Gunsbach, the co-publishers of the book Mon Schweitzer and Catherine Erny, a volunteer guide at the Albert Schweitzer House. The hope is that this year of commemoration will be a lasting one for everyone. A toast will bring the evening to a close.