Madariaga - College of Europe Foundation

1886-1978
Founder of the College of Europe

Salvador de Madariaga is the founder of the College of Europe. Passionate defender of liberty and tolerance, he wanted to construct a free and democratic Europe of continental scale. At the time when Europe is taking shape, and the College of Europe is pursuing its mission to educate young university gratuades from all countries in order to build a unified continent, it was thougt absolutely appropriate to name a new foundation, directed towards the future Europe, in memory of the remarkable European.

Born in Spain, Salvador de Madariaga was a key figure in the 20th century, taking part in the great events which formed Europe and leaving an indelible imprint on this period. Writer, poet, historian, philosopher and politician, he possessed those qualities which reveal a man of exceptional breadth. After working for the league of nations, he pusued a university career at Oxford, where published a number of works, including the famous "Englishmen, Frenchmen and Spaniards", an essay on the observation and comparative psychology of people. In 1931, he re-entered in political life in his own country by becoming successively the Spanish Ambassador to Washington and Paris.

In 1933, he was elected a Deputy in the Constitutional Assembly before becoming briefly the Minister of Education, then of Justice. During the Spanish Civil War, he moved to Oxford, where he continued his philosophical and political reflections. After the Second World War, he became an ardent promoter of European unification to ensure peace on the continent. He believed in one European civilisation which, notwithstanding its diversity, is fash-ioned from Socratic doubt and Christian faith. it was in that spirit that he became actively involved in the European Movement. he presided over the cultural commission of the Congress of The Hague in 1948, from which the idea of an authentic European educational institution emerged. This project was brought to fruition thanks to the effort of Salvador de Madariaga and Rev. Verleye, and resulted in the creation of the College of Europe in 1949.

The first president of the Academic council of the College of Europe, Salvador de Madariaga influenced its organisation enormously, as much on the plan of its development, fashioned on the medieval university model, as on the plan of its inspiration based on tolerance and unlocking the furture. The career and the work of de Madariaga were honoured in 1973 when he was awarded the Charlemagne Prize, and above all by the end of the dictatorship and the return of liberty to his country.