Pierre Harmel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Count Harmel
|
|
|---|---|
Pierre Harmel in 1965
|
|
| Prime Minister of Belgium | |
| In office 28 July 1965 – 19 March 1966 |
|
| Monarch | Baudouin |
| Preceded by | Théo Lefèvre |
| Succeeded by | Paul Vanden Boeynants |
| President of the Senate | |
| In office 9 October 1973 – 7 June 1977 |
|
| Preceded by | Paul Struye |
| Succeeded by | Robert Vandekerckhove |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 March 1911 Uccle, Belgium |
| Died | 15 November 2009 (aged 98) Brussels, Belgium |
| Political party | Christian Social Party Humanist Democratic Centre |
| Alma mater | University of Liège |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Pierre Charles José Marie, Count Harmel (born March 16, 1911 – died November 15, 2009) was an important Belgian politician and diplomat. He was a lawyer and a member of the Christian Democratic party. Harmel served as the prime minister of Belgium from 1965 to 1966.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Pierre Harmel was born in Uccle, Belgium. His parents were Charles Harmel and Eusibie André. He studied law at the University of Liège. There, he earned degrees in law and social science in 1933. During his time at university, he was very active in a Catholic association. He became its chairman in 1938.
In 1940, he joined the army and fought in the 18-day Campaign during World War II. After the war, in 1947, he became a law professor at the University of Liège.
Political Career
Starting in Politics
Pierre Harmel joined the PSC-CVP when it was created in 1945. He was first elected as a member of parliament in 1946. He kept his seat in parliament until 1971.
In 1949, Harmel represented Belgium at the United Nations General Assembly. He then served in several government roles throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
The School War
From 1950 to 1954, Harmel was the Minister of Education. During this time, he made changes that increased funding for private schools, which were mostly Catholic. He also raised the salaries of teachers in these schools.
These changes upset people who believed in separating church and state. They saw his actions as a "declaration of war" on public education. When a new government came to power in 1954, they tried to reverse Harmel's changes. This led to big protests from Catholic groups.
Eventually, a solution was found in 1958, called the "School Pact." This agreement helped to end the conflict over school funding.
Key Government Roles
Harmel held several important positions in the Belgian government. He was Minister of Justice in 1958. Then, he served as Minister of Culture from 1958 to 1960. He was also Minister of the Civil Service from 1960 to 1961.
From 1965 to 1966, Pierre Harmel was the Prime Minister of Belgium. He led a government made up of Christian Democrats and Socialists. After that, he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1966 to 1968. As Foreign Minister, he helped lead important talks for new countries to join the European Economic Community (EEC). His ideas helped shape how the EEC would grow in the future.
The Harmel Doctrine
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, Harmel created an important plan for NATO. NATO is a military alliance of many countries. His plan, called the "Harmel Doctrine," was approved in 1967.
The doctrine suggested two main things:
- Have a strong military defense.
- Also, have good diplomatic talks with countries from the Warsaw Pact. The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance of communist countries.
This idea helped to improve relations between the East and West during the Cold War. It led to more peaceful discussions in the 1970s. This included the 1975 Helsinki Summit and the creation of the OSCE. Harmel himself visited several Warsaw Pact countries to promote these ideas.
Later Career and Honors
After 25 years in parliament, Harmel became a Senator from 1971 to 1977. In 1973, he was given the special title of Minister of State.
In 1988, he received an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Louvain. In 1991, King Baudouin gave him the hereditary title of Count Harmel. This is a special honor in the Belgian nobility.
Personal Life
Pierre Harmel married Marie-Claire Van Gehuchten on May 22, 1946. They had six children together: four sons and two daughters. Pierre Harmel passed away on November 15, 2009, at the age of 98. His wife died in 2018.
Honours
Belgium: Croix de Guerre.- Belgium: Minister of State, by Royal Decree.
- Belgium: Member of the Royal Academy.
- Belgium: Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold.
- Belgium: Grand Officer in the Order of Leopold II.
- Knight Grand Cross in the Order of Saints Michael and George.
- Commander in the National Order of the Leopard.
See also
In Spanish: Pierre Harmel para niños
