Paul-Henri Spaak

Belgian politician (1899-1972)

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
MonarchCharles (Regent)
Preceded byCamille Huysmans
Succeeded byGaston Eyskens
In office
13 March 1946 – 31 March 1946
MonarchCharles (Regent)
Preceded byAchille Van Acker
Succeeded byAchille Van Acker
In office
15 May 1938 – 22 February 1939
MonarchLeopold III
Preceded byPaul-Emile Janson
Succeeded byHubert Pierlot
2nd Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
In office
16 May 1957 – 21 April 1961
Preceded byHastings Ismay
Succeeded byDirk Stikker
President of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community
In office
11 September 1952 – 11 May 1954
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byAlcide De Gasperi
President of the United Nations General Assembly
In office
31 March 1946 – 20 March 1947
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byOswaldo Aranha
Personal details
Born
Paul-Henri Charles Spaak

(1899-01-25)25 January 1899
Schaerbeek, Belgium
Died31 July 1972(1972-07-31) (aged 73)
Braine-l'Alleud, Belgium
Political partyBelgian Workers' Party
Belgian Socialist Party
Alma materFree 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.

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