Paul-Henri Spaak
Paul-Henri Charles Spaak (25 January 1899 – 31 July 1972) was a Belgian politician and statesman. He is thought to be as one of the founding fathers of the European Union.
Paul-Henri Spaak | |
|---|---|
 Spaak, pictured in 1957 | |
| 31st Prime Minister of Belgium | |
| In office 20 March 1947 – 11 August 1949 | |
| Monarch | Charles (Regent) |
| Preceded by | Camille Huysmans |
| Succeeded by | Gaston Eyskens |
| In office 13 March 1946 – 31 March 1946 | |
| Monarch | Charles (Regent) |
| Preceded by | Achille Van Acker |
| Succeeded by | Achille Van Acker |
| In office 15 May 1938 – 22 February 1939 | |
| Monarch | Leopold III |
| Preceded by | Paul-Emile Janson |
| Succeeded by | Hubert Pierlot |
| 2nd Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization | |
| In office 16 May 1957 – 21 April 1961 | |
| Preceded by | Hastings Ismay |
| Succeeded by | Dirk Stikker |
| President of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community | |
| In office 11 September 1952 – 11 May 1954 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Alcide De Gasperi |
| President of the United Nations General Assembly | |
| In office 31 March 1946 – 20 March 1947 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Oswaldo Aranha |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paul-Henri Charles Spaak 25 January 1899 Schaerbeek, Belgium |
| Died | 31 July 1972 (aged 73) Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium |
| Political party | Belgian Workers' Party Belgian Socialist Party |
| Alma mater | Free University of Brussels |
Spaak entered politics in 1932 for the Belgian Workers' Party (later the Belgian Socialist Party). He became Prime Minister of Belgium in 1938 and held the position until 1939. During World War II, he served as Foreign Minister in the Belgian government in exile under Hubert Pierlot. After the war, he twice served the position of Prime Minister, first for under a month in March 1946 and again between 1947 and 1949.
Spaak was Belgium's Foreign Minister for 18 years between 1939 and 1966.
In 1945, he was chosen to chair the first session of the General Assembly of the new United Nations. He served as the first President of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe between 1949 and 1950 and became the first President of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) between 1952 and 1954.
Between 1957 and 1961, he served as the second Secretary-General of NATO.
Other websites change
- Fondation Paul-Henri Spaak
- The Presidency Project – Remarks at the Presentation of the Medal of Freedom to Paul Henri Spaak, Secretary General of NATO – 21 February 1961
- NATO Declassified - Paul-Henri Spaak (biography)
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