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Helene Bresslau Schweitzer (25 January 1879 – 1 June 1957) was a German medical missionary,
nurse Nursing is a profession within the health care sector focused on the care of individuals, families, and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and quality of life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health c ...
,
social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
er,
linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
, public medicine enthusiast, editor,
feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
, sociologist, and the wife/confidant of
Albert Schweitzer Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer (; 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965) was an Alsatian-German/French polymath. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. A Lutheran minister, Schwei ...
, who co-founded the Albert Schweitzer Hospital with her.Marxsen, Patti M. ''Helene Schweitzer: A Life of Her Own.'' First Edition. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 2015. Albert, a medical missionary, did not mention her role in his efforts. According to writer
Mary Kingsley Mary Henrietta Kingsley (13 October 1862 – 3 June 1900) was an English ethnographer, scientific writer, and explorer whose travels throughout West Africa and resulting work helped shape European perceptions of both African cultures and ...
, she is "one form of human being whose praise has never adequately been sung, namely, the missionary's wife." While much of his work seems to overwrite her own, she played a pivotal role in the advancement of medicine, feminine independence, and societal justice.


Early life

Helene Bresslau Schweitzer was born to the Bresslau family on 25 January 1879 in Berlin. Her family was
ethnically Jewish "Who is a Jew?" ( he, מיהו יהודי ) is a basic question about Jewish identity and considerations of Jewish self-identification. The question pertains to ideas about Jewish personhood, which have cultural, ethnic, religious, political, ...
, and she was baptized into the
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
religion as a result of widespread
Anti Semitism Antisemitism (also spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who holds such positions is called an antisemite. Antisemitism is considered to be a form of racism. Antis ...
. The Bresslaus moved to
Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
, then part of Germany, when she was eleven because of a new job opportunity for her father. Her father,
Harry Bresslau Harry Bresslau (22 March 1848 – 27 October 1926) was a German historian and scholar of state papers and of historical and literary muniments (historical Diplomas). He was born in Dannenberg/Elbe and died in Heidelberg. He is the father of Ernst ...
, began working at the
University of Strasbourg The University of Strasbourg (french: Université de Strasbourg, Unistra) is a public research university located in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, with over 52,000 students and 3,300 researchers. The French university traces its history to the ea ...
and eventually became chancellor. As a result of the move, Helene adopted French, becoming fluent rather quickly. In 1898, Bresslau met her future husband,
Albert Schweitzer Ludwig Philipp Albert Schweitzer (; 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965) was an Alsatian-German/French polymath. He was a theologian, organist, musicologist, writer, humanitarian, philosopher, and physician. A Lutheran minister, Schwei ...
at a wedding.Schweitzer-Miller, Rhena.
Helene Schweitzer-Bresslau
" Association Internationale Schweitzer Lambaréné, n.d.
Shortly thereafter, they developed a relationship that included separation, independence, and non-exclusive behaviors. This allowed both to develop their lives while enjoying each other's companionship, conversation, and virtues. The one thing that united the pair was their shared ideology: to take care of others. Helene became Albert's confidant but did not give up her own life for his. In fact, they spent a great deal of time away from each other and maintained a nontraditional relationship (together but not exclusive). They felt secure remaining undefined as a couple, relying on their friendship through documented letters. The turning point for their relationship occurred when they married on 18 June 1912 in Gunsbach. At this point in their lives, they both decided to marry and go to Africa to fulfill their desire to care for others in need. She quit her job at the orphanage and studied higher level nursing to advance her knowledge before leaving. On
Good Friday Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Hol ...
of 1913, she travelled with Albert to Lambaréné, Gabon, beginning her medical missionary adventure.


Education and professional development

Aged 6, Helene attended Queen Charlotte's School. In 1890, she transferred to Lindner Girls' High School in Berlin. She began to pursue music studies at a music conservatory from 1897 to 1899. After receiving her teaching credentials in one year rather than the usual two, she worked as a teacher in England in 1902. Continuing to delve into her passion for learning, Bresslau took courses in medieval, modern, and art history at her father's university, the University of Strasbourg. In pursuit of music, she took voice and piano lessons. One area of study that interested Bresslau was nursing. She joined the
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
Deaconess The ministry of a deaconess is, in modern times, a usually non-ordained ministry for women in some Protestant, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Orthodox churches to provide pastoral care, especially for other women, and which may carry a limited ...
' Society on 1 January 1904 "to complete a course in nursing."Schweitzer-Miller, Rhena, and Gustav Woytt, eds. ''The Albert Schweitzer-Helene Bresslau Letters 1902–1912.'' First Edition. Syracuse University Press, 2003. After, she was assigned to complete three months of nursing lessons in
Stettin Szczecin (, , german: Stettin ; sv, Stettin ; Latin language, Latin: ''Sedinum'' or ''Stetinum'') is the capital city, capital and largest city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in northwestern Poland. Located near the Baltic Sea and the Po ...
. On 1 April 1905 she took a break from nursing and went into
social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social work ...
. Even so, exploring another field other than nursing left her "eager to fill in the gaps" of her nursing knowledge. She changed her direction of study when she became a municipal inspector for orphans in 1905. She maintained the position from 1905 to 1909. This endeavor attributes largely to part of her own goal to improve the social sphere. However, her home's "Jewish atmosphere" widely influenced her as she was taught to "pay it forward." Including and prior to this job, all of her endeavors were based on her own emotions and goals without Albert's influence. In one of his letters, he notes "it is you who have won, happy to have found a task that will fill your life, and you’ve done it ahead of me", addressing her social work in
Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...
's City Orphan Administration. On 1 October 1909 Helene "enrolled as a student in the nursing school of the Protestant Deaconess' Society in
Frankfurt Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , "Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on its na ...
in the city hospital" to further her knowledge in the profession, thus beginning her nursing career.


Missionary work


Journey with Albert Schweitzer

Helene and Albert shared one main common goal: to help improve medicine and the greater good in Lambaréné, Gabon. At the very beginning of their journey, Helene wrote in her diary that "we are truly in love with Africa." In spring 1913, Helene and Albert set off to establish a hospital ( Albert Schweitzer Hospital) near an already existing mission post. The site was nearly 200 miles (14 days by raft) upstream from the mouth of the Ogooué at
Port Gentil Port-Gentil () or Mandji is the second-largest city of Gabon, and it is a leading seaport. It is the center of Gabon's petroleum and timber industries. The city is located on a River delta, delta island in the Ogooue delta with no bridges to the m ...
(
Cape Lopez Cape Lopez () is a headland on the coast of Gabon, west central Africa. The westernmost point of Gabon, it separates the Gulf of Guinea from the South Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lopez is the northernmost point of a low, wooded island between two mouths ...
) (and so accessible to external communications) but downstream of most tributaries, so that internal communications within Gabon converged towards Lambaréné. This journey to make medical improvements in Africa allowed Helene to develop herself. Patti Marxsen writes that Helene's "capacity for hard work in a challenging environment can be read as proof that her independence earned in Strasbourg was now unshakeable. For the now thirty-four-year-old Helene Bresslau Schweitzer...a life in Africa offered a chance to integrate multiple aspects of modern identity, perhaps even more so than would have been possible in Europe." Helene had prior interest in nursing and the medical field before Albert became involved in medicine. Therefore, she played a vital role in his work, acting as a possible influence. In the first nine months, Helene and Albert had about 2,000 patients to examine, some travelling many days and hundreds of kilometers to reach the hospital. In her time in Africa, Helene worked as nurse and helped with the hospital. She played an essential part in sanitation efforts, especially by preparing medical equipment for surgery. She was also an anaesthetist for surgical operations.Schweitzer, Albert. ''The Primeval Forest''. Johns Hopkins Paperbacks Edition. Baltimore, Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.


Challenges

When World War I broke out in summer of 1914, the French military put Helene and Albert, who were Germans in a French colony, under supervision at Lambaréné, where they continued their work. In 1917, exhausted by over four years' work and by tropical
anaemia Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, th ...
, they were taken to
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectur ...
and interned first in Garaison and then from March 1918 in
Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (; Provençal Occitan: ''Sant Romieg de Provença'' in classical and ''Sant Roumié de Prouvènço'' in Mistralian norms) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. Loc ...
. Medical issues forced Helene to leave Africa many times, and sometimes Albert kept her from returning at times. When Albert decided to return to Africa in 1924, he took on an Oxford undergraduate, Noel Gillespie, as assistant, leaving Helene behind. In 1919 after the birth of their daughter ( Rhena Schweitzer Miller), Helene was no longer able to live in Lambaréné due to her health. In 1923 the family moved to
Königsfeld im Schwarzwald Königsfeld im Schwarzwald ( Low Alemannic: ''Kinnigsfeld'') is a town in the district of Schwarzwald-Baar in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It is the northernmost town of the district Schwarzwald Baar. Königsfeld has six boroughs (Königsfeld, ...
, Baden-Württemberg, where Albert was building a house for the family. This house is now maintained as a Schweitzer museum. Her not returning to Lambaréné was a sacrifice made "by her husband, not for him." She wrote about not returning, describing it as a "practical matter", but she "never agreed to a separation of three and a half years" from her husband. Despite her poor health, she still took care of her daughter, "engage herself with the Hospital Aid Association," and "enroll din a three-week course in tropical medicine at the Medical Missionary Institute of
Tübingen Tübingen (, , Swabian: ''Dibenga'') is a traditional university city in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, and developed on both sides of the Neckar and Ammer rivers. about one in thr ...
, Germany." As a motherhood advocate, she gladly took care of her daughter and continued to develop her own personal skills. Helene still remained engaged in helping the mission hospital. In 1929, after receiving treatment for pneumonia, Helene returned to Lambaréné to see Albert's progression with the new hospital. Shortly after arriving, however, she developed a bad fever and was forced to depart the hospital and her husband to return to Europe for treatment. After recovering, she used her writing skills and began to edit her husband's autobiography. Her English skills also opened the door for "public speaking and networking in the United States." On 1 December 1930 a German newspaper printed one of her speeches. In it, she described her husband's concept, the Fellowship of the Marks of Pain. She turned her medical challenges into positives, explaining that through her suffering she developed a compassionate view of their work that only she could personally attest. Helene was aware that her husband would receive much of the acclaim for their missionary endeavors, so she set out to make her work known. In October 1946, she began to review her documents and collect them so that she would be understood as a "full partner" in their missionary work. In addition, she began lecture tours in the United States in 1937 to promote the Schweitzer Hospital.; supplies from this fundraising, including medicines and surgical instruments arrived in May 1942.


Health complications

Helene experienced tremendous health issues throughout her life, mostly in relation to her lungs. She first encountered
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...
before she turned ten. She was officially diagnosed in the spring of 1922 with laryngeal tuberculosis after exhibiting symptoms of "pain, fever, and coughing up blood." In addition, the heat of Africa caused many respiratory issues. In 1915, she contracted
phlebitis Phlebitis (or Venitis) is inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. It most commonly occurs in superficial veins. Phlebitis often occurs in conjunction with thrombosis and is then called thrombophlebitis or superficial thrombophlebitis. Unlike ...
resulting in two weeks of therapeutic bed rest. She also had
pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severity ...
in 1929, almost keeping her from returning to Lambaréné. Despite her already weak lungs, she completed the trip, though she had to return early due to illness again. Helene Bresslau Schweitzer died on 1 June 1957 and her remains are located in Lambaréné. When Albert died, he was buried next to her. Their graves lie on the banks of the Ogooue River, marked by a cross Albert made himself.Reuters. "Albert Schweitzer, 90, Dies at His Hospital" (September 6, 1965): n. pag. The New York Times Learning Network. New York Times. Web. December 5, 2015.


Legacy

Helene contributed greatly to the work done in Lambaréné. A role model as an independent, educated woman with a deep intellectual curiosity, she was "One of the first female students at the University of Strasbourg" and "One of the first female employees in the community administration" at the orphanage. Her aid in the poor relief system, "Armenpflegesystem," mirrored in modern social welfare, saw the illegitimate mortality rate fall. Setting precedence as a female medical missionary in the early 20th century, she established lasting effects of nursing and education in Lambaréné. She co-founded the Schweitzer Hospital, documented much of Albert's autobiography, and "supported the issionwork with lectures and fund-raising" essential to its upkeep and vivacity.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schweitzer, Helene Bresslau 1879 births 1957 deaths 19th-century French people 19th-century German people French Lutheran missionaries German people of Jewish descent Alsatian-German people People from Alsace-Lorraine People from Berlin University of Strasbourg alumni Christian medical missionaries Female Christian missionaries German feminists German social workers Social workers Lutheran missionaries in Africa German Lutheran missionaries Protestant missionaries in Gabon German women nurses German nurses