On 23 March 2021, the Foundation wishes to pay tribute to Professor Henri Rieben, its first president (1978 – 2005). He would have been 100 years old today.
Henri Rieben’s red notebook to download: « Réconcilier et unir les Européens » (1995)
Video testimonies of Henri Rieben:
1. Henri Rieben talks about his Palinzard origins
Henri Rieben takes us on a tour of his garden in his house in Epalinges, where he talks about his parents, who were farmers, and about life in what was at the time a small country village. For Henri Rieben, the countryside, nature and country life were cardinal values and he remained attached to his native village throughout his life.
To watch the video : click here.
Excerpt from “Henri Rieben: a life for Jean Monnet’s Europe”, 2006, produced by : NVP, © Family Rieben Schizas.
2. Henri Rieben recounts his discovery of geopolitics
As a young boy, Henri Rieben earned his living as a caddie at the Lausanne golf course. He tells us how he opened his mind to geopolitics by listening to the conversations of the players, in this case the Aga Khan III.
To watch the video : click here.
Excerpt from “Henri Rieben: a life for Jean Monnet’s Europe”, 2006, produced by : NVP, © Family Rieben Schizas.
3. Henri Rieben recounts the early career of Jean Monnet
Well known as the inspirer of European unity, Jean Monnet began his career well before 1950. Born in 1888, the son of a Cognac producer, nothing predestined Monnet to become a central player in European peace.
With his characteristic verve, Henri Rieben looks back at the early years of Jean Monnet’s long career.
To watch the video : click here.
Extract from a presentation of the Foundation’s archives by Henri Rieben during the commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the Declaration of 9 May. Dorigny, 10 May 2005, images : NVP, © Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe.
4. Henri Rieben recounts his first contact with Jean Monnet
Henri Rieben tells Philippe Nicolet about his first contacts with Jean Monnet. These contacts led to a friendship that lasted until Jean Monnet’s death.
To watch the video : click here.
Extract from the programme Infos Hebdo for TVRL, 1997, produced by Studio NVP, © TVRL, Archives de la Ville de Lausanne. Link to the full programme : https://dartfi.sh/sK4jVS82Jei
5. Henri Rieben recounts the birth of the European Research Centre
Henri Rieben tells us about the origins of the institution that preceded the Jean Monnet Foundation, the Centre de recherches européennes. Following his own difficulties in disseminating his thesis, he decided to create a place of exchange for doctoral students and support for the dissemination of their thesis.
To watch the video : click here.
Interview realised in 2002, © CVCE.EU by UNI.LU, Source: https://www.cvce.eu
6. Henri Rieben talks about enlargement towards Central and Eastern Europe
The Jean Monnet Foundation celebrates the European enlargement towards Central Europe by awarding its gold medal to the Hungarian President Ferenc Mádl on 8 November 2002. In his speech, Henri Rieben discusses the importance of enlargement and the peace objective of the European project.
To watch the video : click here.
Extract from Henri Rieben’s speech, 8 November 2002, produced by: NVP, © Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe.
Documents in the image gallery (in french) :
- Henri Rieben avec la serviette de Jean Monnet devant la Fondation en 1988 / © M. Lindmarker
- Remise de la médaille d’or de la Fondation à Adolf Ogi (1993) / © : Mercedes Riedy
- Remise de la bourgeoisie d’honneur d’Epalinges à Henri Rieben par Jacqueline Pittet (syndique) en 1993 / © Franck Martin
- Remise du Prix de la Ville de Lausanne à Henri Rieben par Yvette Jaggi (syndique) en 1991 / © Patrick Martin
- Henri Rieben à son bureau / Ferme de Dorigny / sans date / © David Channer
- Réception du président Mitterrand : Source Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe
- Henri Rieben prononce un discours lors de la remise du doctorat honoris causa de l’Université de Lausanne à Jean Monnet en 1970 / © Presse Diffusion, Lausanne
- Certificat : Source Fondation Jean Monnet pour l’Europe