Full name:

Louise Weiss

Date and place of birth:

25 January 1893, Arras, France

Date and place of death:

26 May 1983 (aged 90), Paris, France

Education:

• In 1914, she passed the agrégation exam, essential for those aspiring to work in public administration.
• She earned degrees in literature from the universities of Paris and Oxford before the onset of World War I.

Career:

• From 1914 to 1918:
  • Set up a military hospital in Brittany for wounded French soldiers.
  • Established a home for refugees in France.
  • Went to Switzerland to nurse former French prisoners of war.
• January 1918: Louise Weiss founded the weekly magazine "L'Europe Nouvelle".
• 1919: She became a correspondent for the Parisian daily newspaper, Le Petit Parisien.
• 1934: Her focus shifted to women's rights, particularly women's suffrage, which she believed could help counteract war.
• December 1938: She leveraged her influence to convince French Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet to establish a government-sponsored refugee committee to assist Jews escaping the Nazis.
• From 1940 to 1944: Louise was a member of the French resistance and editor of La Nouvelle République, an underground newspaper.
• From 1945 to 1955: Undertook extensive travel around the globe, writing articles for prominent French magazines and newspapers.
• 1971: Louise Weiss established the Foundation Louise Weiss to award an annual prize for promoting the science of peace.
• 1979: She was elected to the European Parliament and delivered an inaugural speech at the age of 86.

Contribution to Europe:

• Founder of L'Europe Nouvelle: In 1918, she co-founded L'Europe Nouvelle to promote European cooperation and peace, which became an important journal for international affairs.
• Nouvelle École de la Paix: In 1930, Louise Weiss founded the Nouvelle École de la Paix in Paris. This "School of Peace" was a private higher-education institution which organised conferences and debates on international current affairs and the major political, economic, social and cultural issues of the day.
• Advocate for Women's Rights: She founded a new organization, La Femme Nouvelle, dedicated to securing voting rights for women. She advocated for women's rights and suffrage.
• Member of The French Resistance: Joined the French resistance and edited the underground newspaper, La Nouvelle République (1940-1944).
• Promoter of Democratic Values: She advocated for Europe's leadership in promoting democratic values globally through her writings.
• Inaugural Speech at The European Parliament: Being elected to the European Parliament, she gave the inaugural speech, calling for European unity based on common culture in 1979.
• Legacy Honored: The European Parliament named its main building in Strasbourg after her, recognizing her lifelong support of European values.

Vision for Europe:

• Louise Weiss is celebrated as a pioneering journalist, activist, and politician who dedicated her life to the causes of European unity and women's rights.
• As a Member of the European Parliament, she continued her lifelong work promoting gender equality and was instrumental in establishing the Committee on Women's Rights.
• Weiss's contributions to European integration and her pioneering efforts for women's rights have left a lasting impact on the European Union.

Useful links:

• The official site of EU
• Her life - PDF Document
• Wikipedia
• Louise Weise in Strasbourg
• Louise Weiss - blog
• More about Louise Weiss
• Louise Weiss - campaigner for liberty

Image References:

• Profile picture
• First image
• Second image
• Third image