Posted on 24 June 2013
The archival collection of Hans August Lücker on the beatification process for Robert Schuman is now available for research at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU).
The archival collection comprises 31 files and was deposited at the HAEU by the family of Hans August Lücker in 2011. The collection illustrates the life and work of Robert Schuman as one of the founders of a united Europe as a premise for peace, a defence against nationalism and militarism and the socio-economic development of Europeans. The papers also document the conservative Christian and democratic spirit of the founding generation of the European project.
Hans August Lücker was born in Krümmel (Rheinland-Pfalz) in Germany on 21 February 1915. He began his European political career as co-founder of the European Peoples’ Party and as member of the Council of Europe and the Western European Union in 1952. In 1958 he became member of the European Parliamentary Assembly and remained member of the European Parliament until 1984 (Vice-President from 1975-1979). As such he was one of the instigators behind the enlargement of the European Communities towards Greece (1981) and Spain and Portugal (1985).
As Vice President of the German Committee for the postulation of the beatification of Robert Schuman, Hans August Lücker dedicated his latter years until his death in 2004 to this cause. He prepared a dossier of 5,000 pages on the works of Robert Schuman which accompanied the postulation for beatification to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints of the Holy See in Rome in 2004. The dossier for the postulation also contains a unique collection of books extracts, writings and speeches, quotes, news articles and photos of Robert Schuman.
The archival collection also comprises papers prepared by Hans August Lücker himself, in particular, speeches, articles and correspondence with other personalities concerned in the preparation and submission of the petition to the Holy See.
The collection is now accessible at the Historical Archives of the European Union and an inventory is available online. Correspondence in the collection is subject to 30 years closure and certain documents have particular copyright provisions.
The Hans August Lücker collection (HALK) inventory