EUROPE: PEOPLE Europe has a great influence in the world through the work of many important people. Here is a short list of politicians, scientists, musicians, artists, writers and even sportspeople. 1. POLITICIANS Robert Schuman (29th June 1886 – 4th September 1963) was a French statesman. Schuman was a Christian Democrat and an independent political thinker and activist. He was Prime Minister of France twice, Minister of Finance and a Foreign Minister. Schuman is considered as one of the founders of the European Union, the Council of Europe and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Jean Monnet (France, 1888–1979). In 1945 he became responsible for the economic reconstruction of France after the war. He began to work on a project known as the Schuman Plan, that he proposed to Robert Schuman, the French Foreign Minister, in 1949. The Schuman Plan was the basis for the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) that was established in 1952. The six countries that signed the Treaty of Paris (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany) agreed to share their coal and steel resources. This was the basis for the European Economic Community (EEC). Konrad Adenauer (1876-1967) was a German statesman. He was the first Chancellor of West Germany (1949–1963) and chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (1950-1966). He was the oldest chancellor ever to serve Germany, beginning his first ministry at the age of 73 and leaving at the age of 87. Walter Hallstein (1901-1982) was Law Professor and since 1950 he was active in German and European politics, especially as Secretary of State in charge of Foreign Affairs in the Adenauer's Government. He was the first president of the European Economic Community (EEC) (1958-1967). Alcide De Gasperi (1881 – 1954) was an Italian statesman and politician and founder of the Christian Democratic Party. From 1945 to 1953 he was the Prime Minister of eight coalition governments. His eight-year rule remains a landmark of political longevity for a leader in modern Italian politics. He is considered to be one of the Founding Fathers of the European Union, along with the Frenchman Robert Schuman and the German Konrad Adenauer. Valdas Adamkus is the current President of the Republic of Lithuania. It is the second time that he has served in this position. In Lithuania, the President's term lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003. Adamkus ran for president and was re-elected again. Adamkus joined the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its inception in 1970 and was appointed regional administrator by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. He was responsible for all air, water, hazardous waste, and other pollution control programs in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. He is married to Alma Adamkienė, who is involved in charitable activities in Lithuania. Margaret Thatcher was Britain's first female prime minister. She served three consecutive terms in office. She is one of the dominant political figures of 20th century Britain, and the movement she founded called “Thatcherism” continues to have a huge influence. Thatcher's policies succeeded in reducing inflation, but unemployment increased dramatically. In 1984, she escaped death when the terrorist group IRA planted a bomb at the Conservative party conference in Brighton. Thatcher was nicknamed the 'Iron Lady' by the Soviets. Francois Miterrand (1916-1996) was a lawyer and French politician. He presided the French Republic for 14 years (1981-1995). He is the president who has remained longer in office. Helmut Kohl was chancellor of West Germany (1982-1990) and of the re-unified German nation (1990-1998). He presided over the integration of East Germany into West Germany in 1990. Felipe González Márquez (born 5th March 1942) is a Spanish socialist politician. He was the General Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) from 1974 to 1997. To date, he remains the longest-serving Prime Minister of the Spanish government, after having served four successive mandates from 1982 to 1996. Jacques Delors (born 20th July, 1925) is a French economist and politician. He served three terms as President of the European Commission (1985-1994). During his presidency, he oversaw important reforms of the budget and the introduction of a single market within the European Community, which came into effect on 1st January, 1993. 1 EUROPE: PEOPLE Simone Veil, (born 13th July 1927) is a French lawyer and politician who served as Minister of Health under Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, President of the European Parliament (1979–1982). She survived from the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp where she lost part of her family. She was elected to the Académie française in November 2008. 2. SCIENTISTS Severo Ochoa (1905-1993) is one of the best known Spanish scientists. He studied and worked in Spain and in other European countries. From 1940 to 1985 he worked and lived in the USA and he became an American citizen in 1956. He won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1959, together with the American Arthur Kornberg, for his discoveries of the mechanisms of biology synthesis of the RNA (Ribonucleic acid) and DNA (Desoxiribonucleic acid). His work has contributed to know the basic steps in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fatty acids, the use of carbon dioxide, and the biosynthesis of nucleic acids. Gerhardt Ertl is a German scientist, born in 1936. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemestry in 2007. He has dedicated his life to study the reaction of chemical components on solid surfaces, which is very important for the insdustry and nature. His discoveries help to understand the process of deterioration of the ozone layer and they are the base for the use of catalytic converters in cars. Albert Fert, French, and Peter Grünberg, German, won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2007. They discovered a new way of using magnetism to control electrical currents. They called it “Giant magnetoresistance”. Their discovery is applied to computers and other devices because it allows to save a lot of data in a very small space (for example in our MP3s or iPods). It is also used to help in the separation of genetic material. The Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2008 was given to three Europeans. Harold Zur Hausen, German, won part of the Prize for his investigations about the human papilloma virus (HPV). This virus is responsible for the uterus cervical cancer. The other two researchers are the French Luc Montagnier and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi. They discovered the HIV, human inmunodeficiency virus, which causes the epidemic illness of AIDS. Margarita Salas, a Spanish woman scientist, born in 1938, was a student of Severo Ochoa. She was a successful scientist in a time when there were few women scientists. Her field of study has been biochemestry and molecular biology: she has devoted a lot of effort to study the DNA and how genetic information is transmitted. She was the first woman to be a member of the USA National Academy of Science. She is still doing research today. In the Atapuerca Mountains (Spain), a group of antropologists works on the traces of the first humans who lived in Europe (homo antecesor). Juan Luis Arsuaga, José María Bermúdez de Castro and Eudald Carbonel co-direct the Atapuerca Project since 1982. Rita Levi-Montalcini (1909), “Cavaliere di Gran Croce” is an Italian neurologist who, together with colleague Stanley Cohen, received the 1986 Nobel Prize in Medicine (Physiology) for their discovery of “nerve growth factor” (NGF). Today she is the oldest living Nobel laureate. She is a Senator for life in the Italian Senate. Carlo Rubbia (1934) is an Italian particle physicist who won the 1984 Nobel Prize in Physics for work leading to the discovery of the W and Z particles at CERN. His research activities are presently concentrated on the problem of energy supply for the future, with particular focus on the development of new technologies for renewable energy sources. During his term as President of ENEA (1999-2005) he developed a method for concentrating solar power at high temperatures for energy production, known as the Archimedes Project, which is presently being developed by industry for commercial use. 3. MUSICIANS The Beatles were an English rock and pop band from Liverpool that formed in 1960. The group consisted of John Lennon (rhythm guitar, vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar, vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). They became one of the most successful bands in the history of popular music, selling over one billion records internationally. Their clothes, style and statements influenced the social and cultural revolutions of the 60s. The band broke up in 1970. Some of their most famous hits are Love me do, Help, All you need is love, Get back, Yesterday or Yellow submarine. John Lennon (1940-1980) is probably the most influential. He was controversial through his work as a peace activist with songs such as Imagine, Give peace a chance, or War is Over. He was murdered by a fan (David Chapman) in New York on 8th December 1980. 2 EUROPE: PEOPLE Queen is an English rock band formed in 1971 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor, with the bassist John Deacon completing the lineup in 1972. The band is remarkable for their musical diversity, vocal harmonies, use of synthesizers and incorporation of audience participation into their live performances. Some of their most famous hits are We will Rock you, Bohemian Rhapsody, I want to break free, The show must go on, We are the Champions, etc.