Robert Schaffner (24 July 1905 – 2 August 1979) was a
Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
ish politician.
A founding member of the
Patriotic and Democratic Group
Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to one's country or state. This attachment can be a combination of different feelings for things such as the language of one's homeland, and its ethnic, cultural, politic ...
(GPD), now the
Democratic Party, Schaffner entered politics after the
German occupation
German-occupied Europe, or Nazi-occupied Europe, refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were wholly or partly militarily occupied and civil-occupied, including puppet states, by the (armed forces) and the government of Nazi Germany at ...
during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. In 1945, he was elected to the
Chamber of Deputies
The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures.
Description
Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourb ...
, in which he would remain (including spells as a government minister) until his death over three decades later.
He entered
Pierre Dupong
Pierre Dupong (; 1 November 1885 – 23 December 1953)Thewes, Guy"Les gouvernements du Grand-Duché depuis 1848." Service information et presse. Luxembourg: Imprimerie Centrale, 2011. was a Luxembourgish politician and statesman. He served as ...
's government in 1947 as
Minister for Public Works and
Minister for Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...
, replacing the
Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party
The Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (, , ), abbreviated to LSAP or POSL, is a social democratic, pro-European political party in Luxembourg
Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Eu ...
's
Victor Bodson
Victor Bodson (24 March 1902 – 29 June 1984) was a socialist Luxembourgish politician and lawyer who held the posts of Minister of Justice, Public Works, and Transport for long periods of time in the 1940s and 1950s, including in exile during ...
. He remained in these positions for four years, before the ejection of the GPD from government in favour of the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party saw the roles reverse and Bodson return to the cabinet in Schaffner's place.
Schaffner was twice mayor of
Echternach
Echternach (, ; or locally ) is a commune with town status in the canton of Echternach, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg.
History
The town grew around the Abbey of Echt ...
, from 1945 to 1947, and from 1970 to 1979.
T. Glad Bincham and
A.W. Hurll, then General Secretary of
The Boy Scouts Association
The Scout Association is the largest organisation in the Scout Movement in the Scouting in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom. Following the rapid development of the Scouting, Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 ...
, paid a visit to
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
, the
Netherlands
, Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...
, Luxembourg and
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in October 1945. They were able to make valuable first-hand contacts with the leaders of the Scout movements in these countries, and to learn more of how
Scouting
Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
had played a part during the occupation, and how it proposed to meet the future. In Luxembourg, they were received by Schaffner, the Scout Commissioner, who had been elected mayor of the ruined town of Echternach the day before, and was already drawing up plans for its reconstruction.
[John S. Wilson (1959), Scouting Round the World. First edition, Blandford Press. p. 126, 225, 279]
See also
References
* ''Scouting Round the World'',
John S. Wilson, first edition, Blandford Press 1959 p. 126 131
, -
Ministers for public works of Luxembourg
Ministers for transport of Luxembourg
Mayors of places in Luxembourg
Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Luxembourg)
Councillors in Echternach
Democratic Party (Luxembourg) politicians
1905 births
1979 deaths
Scouting and Guiding in Luxembourg
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