Paul-Henri Spaak

Paul-Henri Spaak
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Name	Paul-Henri Spaak
Caption	Spaak in 1963
Office	Prime Minister of Belgium
Term start	20 March 1947
Term end	11 August 1949
Predecessor	Camille Huysmans
Successor	Gaston Eyskens
Office2	President of the United Nations General Assembly
Term start2	31 March 1946
Term end2	20 March 1947
Predecessor2	Gladwyn Jebb
Successor2	Oswaldo Aranha
Office3	Secretary General of NATO
Term start3	16 May 1957
Term end3	21 April 1961
Predecessor3	Lord Ismay
Successor3	Dirk Stikker
Birth date	25 January 1899
Birth place	Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium
Death date	31 July 1972 (aged 73)
Death place	Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
Party	Belgian Labour Party
Spouse	Marguerite Malevez (m. 1922)
Children	2, including Antoinette Spaak
Alma mater	Free University of Brussels

Paul-Henri Spaak was a towering Belgian statesman and a principal architect of post-war European and Atlantic institutions. A dominant figure in Belgian politics for over three decades, he served three times as Prime Minister of Belgium, was the first elected President of the United Nations General Assembly, and became the second Secretary General of NATO. His most enduring legacy lies in his relentless advocacy for European integration, earning him the moniker "Mr. Europe" for his pivotal role in founding the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community.

Early life and education

Born into a prominent political family in Schaerbeek, his grandfather, Paul Janson, was a notable liberal senator, and his aunt, Marie Janson, was the first woman elected to the Belgian Senate. He was interned in Germany during the First World War after his studies were interrupted. After the war, he earned a doctorate in law from the Free University of Brussels in 1922. He initially pursued a career as a lawyer in Brussels before his political ambitions took precedence, influenced by the socialist ideals of the Belgian Labour Party.

Political career

Elected to the Chamber of Representatives in 1932, Spaak quickly rose through the ranks, becoming Minister of Transport in 1935. He first served as Prime Minister of Belgium from 1938 to 1939, leading a coalition government. During the Second World War, he served as Foreign Minister in the Belgian government in exile in London, working closely with allies like Winston Churchill. After the war, he returned to Belgium and held the foreign affairs portfolio almost continuously until 1949, also serving again as Prime Minister from 1947 to 1949. He was instrumental in forging the Treaty of Brussels in 1948 and Belgium's subsequent membership in NATO.

Role in European integration

Spaak was a visionary proponent of supranationalism and European unity. As chairman of the Council of Europe's Consultative Assembly in 1949, he delivered a famous speech condemning nationalistic divisions. His most significant contribution came as president of the Intergovernmental Committee on European Integration, which produced the seminal "Spaak Report" in 1956. This report laid the direct groundwork for the Treaty of Rome, signed in 1957, which established the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. He is considered a founding father of what would evolve into the European Union.

Later life and legacy

After his pivotal work on the Treaty of Rome, Spaak served as the second Secretary General of NATO from 1957 to 1961, steering the alliance during a tense period of the Cold War. He returned to Belgian politics, serving again as Foreign Minister from 1961 to 1966 under Prime Minister Théo Lefèvre. He retired from active politics in 1966 but remained an influential elder statesman. His legacy is honored across Europe, with the main building of the European Parliament in Brussels named the Espace Léopold complex's "Paul-Henri Spaak building".

Personal life

He married Marguerite Malevez in 1922, and they had two children. His daughter, Antoinette Spaak, followed him into politics, becoming a prominent figure in the Francophone Democratic Front and the first woman to lead a political party in Belgium. An avid tennis player in his youth, he was also known for his eloquent oratory and sharp wit. He passed away in 1972 at his home in Braine-l'Alleud and was given a state funeral, attended by dignitaries from across Europe and the Atlantic Alliance. Category:1899 births Category:1972 deaths Category:Prime Ministers of Belgium Category:Belgian Ministers of Foreign Affairs Category:Secretaries General of NATO Category:Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly Category:People from Schaerbeek