Albert Schweitzer was born in Kaysersberg, Alsace-Lorraine on January 14, 1875.He became an organist in his church and studied theology and music at the Kaiser Wilhelm University in Strasbourg. He completed a degree in theology in 1899. He was a well known musician and organist.

Schweitzer turned to medicine at age 30,. As a physician and Christian missionary, he dedicated himself to the hospital that he set up in French Equatorial Africa (now Gabon) for the treatment of various ailments including leprosy and sleeping sickness. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace in 1952 for his service to humanity. Though he periodically returned to Europe for fundraising purposes, Schweitzer lived in Africa from 1913 until his death.