The Charlemagne Prize
History and origins
A prize for European peace – born out of Aachen's history
Towards a vision of a united Europe
After the devastating destruction of the Second World War, Aachen was characterised by hardship and disorientation. The city lay in ruins, most of its inhabitants had been evacuated, and the few who remained hoped for a better future. During this period of upheaval, Aachen-based textile merchant Dr. Kurt Pfeiffer founded the Corona Legentium Aquensis reading circle. This offered intellectuals, scientists and cultural figures a platform for free exchange – a much-needed new beginning after years of intellectual isolation.
With the support of renowned personalities such as the philosopher Martin Heidegger, the Nobel Prize winner in physics Werner Heisenberg and the writer Werner Bergengruen, Corona gained increasing importance. During the discussions, the idea was born to actively contribute to European unification without waiting for the lengthy political processes.
On 19 December 1949, shortly before Christmas and the Holy Year proclaimed by Pope Pius XII, Pfeiffer presented his vision of an international Aachen Europe Prize at the Suermondt Museum. The idea was very well received – both in the press and by leading figures from politics, the church, business and science.
Within a short period of time, a prominent circle of supporters formed, including Mayor Dr Albert Maas, representatives of RWTH Aachen University and leading business representatives. Together, they decided to establish the Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen – named after Charlemagne, who is regarded as a symbol of a united Europe.
On 14 March 1950, the Society for the Award of the International Charlemagne Prize was founded. The prize was to honour outstanding personalities who had made a significant contribution to peace, unity and cooperation in Europe.
Since it was first awarded in 1950, the Charlemagne Prize has been one of the most important European awards and has helped to establish Aachen as a symbol of a united Europe.
The timeline
1944
Aachen is severely damaged during the Second World War and liberated by the Allies
Dr. Kurt Pfeiffer founds the reading circle ‘Corona Legentium Aquensis’
1949
12. December 1949
Pfeiffer presents the idea of a European prize at the Suermondt Museum
Proclamation of the ‘Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen’ by 12 founding members
March 1950
Founding of the ‘Society for the Award of the International Charlemagne Prize’
Supplement to the original proclamation with a new declaration
1990
The main players at the time
A bridge between the past and the future
Inspired by Charlemagne, the prize honours individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to European unity.
The Charlemagne Prize of the City of Aachen was established on the initiative of Dr. Kurt Pfeiffer. He proposed naming the award after Charlemagne in order to create a link between European history and its future.
Charlemagne is considered the first unifier of Europe. At the end of the 8th century, he made Aachen his preferred palace and ruled an empire that stretched across large parts of Europe – from the Roman-Frankish heartland to the settlement areas of the Saxons, Franks, Frisians, Thuringians, Swabians and Bavarians. His reign was marked by reforms in administration, justice and legislation. He attached particular importance to the promotion of education, science and culture: he gathered scholars from all over Europe at his court to preserve and develop ancient knowledge.
Although his empire fell apart after his death, the cultural unity embodied by Christianity remained intact. His tomb in Aachen Cathedral became an important memorial site for European history and strengthened Aachen's role as a symbol of a united Europe.
But Charlemagne was more than just the prize's namesake. The idea of the Christian West was deliberately included in the founding proclamation – both as a look back at the Carolingian Empire with its shared values and norms, and as a guiding principle for the political and economic unification of Europe.
With the Charlemagne Prize, the founders wanted not only to draw attention to the unresolved question of European unity, but also to point out practical ways of achieving it. They saw economic cooperation as an essential foundation for a stable and peaceful future.
To this day, the Charlemagne Prize honours individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to European unity and the promotion of common values.
