Pierre Harmel
Encyclopedia
Pierre Charles José Marie Harmel, from 1991 Count Harmel
(16 March 1911 – 15 November 2009) was a Belgian lawyer, Christian Democratic politician and diplomat. He served eight months as the 40th Prime Minister of Belgium.
, he studied law at the University of Liège
(Liège), where he obtained the title of Doctor in Law and Master in Social Sciences in 1933. During his studies, he was active in the Association catholique belge, of which he became the chairman in 1938.
Mobilized in 1940, he took part in the 18 days Campaign
. In 1947, he was appointed professor of Law at the University of Liège.
since its creation in 1945, he was elected deputy for the first time in the parliamentary elections of 17 February 1946. He would keep his seat without interruption until 1971.
Pierre Harmel represented Belgium at the fourth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations
in 1949. He subsequently was member of several governments in the 1950s and 1960s.
, immediately set out to reverse the measures taken by his predecessor, sparking mass protests by the Catholic bloc. A compromise was eventually found by the next government (a Catholic minority government led by Gaston Eyskens), and the "School War" was concluded by the 6 November 1958 School Pact. André Molitor
was one of the chief architects of the school pact.
(23 June 1958 - 6 November 1958), and then Minister of Culture (6 November 1958 - 3 September 1960) and Minister of the Civil Service (3 September 1960 - 25 April 1961) in the third Eyskens cabinet.
Prime Minister of Belgium from 28 July 1965 until 19 March 1966, Harmel led a coalition comprising Christian Democrats and Socialists. Finally, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Liberal-Christian Democratic coalition led by Paul Vanden Boeynants
(19 March 1966 - 7 February 1968). As Foreign Minister he chaired the opening meeting of the enlargement negotiations between the EEC and the four applicants for Community membership in June 1970. Indeed Harmel's opening statement to the enlargement conference has since formed the basis of the Community opening position for future enlargement discussions.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he submitted a report titled "Future Tasks of the Alliance" to the NATO council of ministers. The report, which was approved by the council in December 1967, contained the so-called "Harmel Doctrine". It advocated a strong defense combined with good diplomatic relations with the countries of the Warsaw Pact
. The Harmel Doctrine helped to pave the way for the East-West détente of the early 1970s, which led to the 1975 Helsinki Summit and the creation of the OSCE
. Harmel himself visited several Warsaw Pact countries.
. Harmel died on 15 November 2009.
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Counts of Harmel
The Count of Harmel is a member of the hereditary nobility of Belgium.-Creation 1991:* Pierre Charles José Marie Harmel, Count Harmel was a Belgian lawyer, politician and diplomat, who served eight months as Prime Minister of Belgium...
(16 March 1911 – 15 November 2009) was a Belgian lawyer, Christian Democratic politician and diplomat. He served eight months as the 40th Prime Minister of Belgium.
Early life
Born in UccleUccle
Uccle or Ukkel is one of the nineteen municipalities located in the Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium.Uccle is known for its well-to-do areas, its green spots and its high rental rates.-History:...
, he studied law at the University of Liège
University of Liège
The University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
(Liège), where he obtained the title of Doctor in Law and Master in Social Sciences in 1933. During his studies, he was active in the Association catholique belge, of which he became the chairman in 1938.
Mobilized in 1940, he took part in the 18 days Campaign
Battle of Belgium
The Battle of Belgium or Belgian Campaign formed part of the greater Battle of France, an offensive campaign by Germany during the Second World War...
. In 1947, he was appointed professor of Law at the University of Liège.
Early political career
Member of the PSC-CVPChristian Social Party (Belgium, defunct)
The Christian Social Party was a Belgian Catholic political party, which existed from 1945 until 1968.-History:At the end of World War II, on 18–19 August 1945 the Christelijke Volkspartij-Parti Social Chrétien was founded under the presidency of August de Schryver as the successor to the...
since its creation in 1945, he was elected deputy for the first time in the parliamentary elections of 17 February 1946. He would keep his seat without interruption until 1971.
Pierre Harmel represented Belgium at the fourth session of the General Assembly of the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in 1949. He subsequently was member of several governments in the 1950s and 1960s.
School War
Minister of Education from 8 June 1950 until 22 April 1954, he increased the wages of teachers in private (i.e. Catholic) schools and introduced laws linking the subsidies for private schools to the number of pupils. These measures were perceived by the freethinkers (i.e. the anti-clerical Liberals and Socialists) as a declaration of war. When the 1954 elections brought to power a coalition of Socialists and Liberals, the new Education Minister, Leo CollardLeo Collard
Leo Collard was a Belgian politician, the BSP minister of public education and Mayor of Mons ....
, immediately set out to reverse the measures taken by his predecessor, sparking mass protests by the Catholic bloc. A compromise was eventually found by the next government (a Catholic minority government led by Gaston Eyskens), and the "School War" was concluded by the 6 November 1958 School Pact. André Molitor
André Molitor
André Molitor , is a former Belgian senior civil servant of the Belgian State and former principal private secretary of King Baudouin I of Belgium from 1961 until 1977...
was one of the chief architects of the school pact.
Minister of Justice, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
Pierre Harmel was Minister of Justice in the second government led by Gaston EyskensGaston Eyskens
Gaston François Marie, Viscount Eyskens was a Belgian economist, Christian Democratic politician of the CVP-PSC, and statesman.He was a six-time Prime Minister of Belgium from 1949 to 1950, 1958 to 1961 and 1968 to 1973...
(23 June 1958 - 6 November 1958), and then Minister of Culture (6 November 1958 - 3 September 1960) and Minister of the Civil Service (3 September 1960 - 25 April 1961) in the third Eyskens cabinet.
Prime Minister of Belgium from 28 July 1965 until 19 March 1966, Harmel led a coalition comprising Christian Democrats and Socialists. Finally, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Liberal-Christian Democratic coalition led by Paul Vanden Boeynants
Paul Vanden Boeynants
Paul Emile François Henri Vanden Boeynants was a Belgian politician. He served as the 41st Prime Minister of Belgium for two brief periods ....
(19 March 1966 - 7 February 1968). As Foreign Minister he chaired the opening meeting of the enlargement negotiations between the EEC and the four applicants for Community membership in June 1970. Indeed Harmel's opening statement to the enlargement conference has since formed the basis of the Community opening position for future enlargement discussions.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he submitted a report titled "Future Tasks of the Alliance" to the NATO council of ministers. The report, which was approved by the council in December 1967, contained the so-called "Harmel Doctrine". It advocated a strong defense combined with good diplomatic relations with the countries of the Warsaw Pact
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Treaty Organization of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance , or more commonly referred to as the Warsaw Pact, was a mutual defense treaty subscribed to by eight communist states in Eastern Europe...
. The Harmel Doctrine helped to pave the way for the East-West détente of the early 1970s, which led to the 1975 Helsinki Summit and the creation of the OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
. Harmel himself visited several Warsaw Pact countries.
Later career
After 25 years in the Chamber of Deputies, Pierre Harmel was Senator from 1971 until 1977. He was made a Minister of State in 1973. In 1988, he was awarded an honorary doctorate at the Catholic University of Louvain, and in 1991, King Baudouin conferred on him the title of countCount
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
. Harmel died on 15 November 2009.
External links
- Pierre Harmel on website of Belgian Federal Government
- The NATO Archives' Subject Files on the Harmel Report, from Parallel History ProjectParallel History ProjectThe Parallel History Project on Cooperative Security is an open source website reference compilation, research project, and analysis nexus sparked by the progressive increase in the declassification of NATO and Soviet bloc documents related to Cold War activities, as viewed by both sides...
- Weber, Bruce. "Pierre Harmel, Belgian Who Helped Reshape NATO, Dies at 98," The New York Times Wednesday, November 18, 2009.
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