B Explanatory Memorandum (presented by M. ERLER, Rapporteur)
1. The Assembly has recommended on
several occasions that the Council of Europe
should found a prize.
2. M. Alfred Töpfer, a Hamburg business
man, was born on 13th July, 1894, and
lives at No. 6 Fèrdinandstrasse. He has
stated his intention of founding a Prize of
10,000 DM to. be awarded annually for the
greatest achievement in science, politics or
indeed, oratory likely to promote the unity of
Europe as a whole.
3. M. Töpfer has founded four cultural
prizes which are awarded in Germany each
year, specifically :
The Hanseatic Goethe Prize worth
10,000 DM per annum ;
The Fritz Schumacher Prize worth
10,000 DM per annum ;
The Justus von Liebig Prize worth
10,000 DM per annum ;
4. The Freiherr von Stein Prize worth
25,000 DM per annum.
5. He has also contributed towards the
founding of scholarships and university institutes
as well as towards the organisation of
scientific congresses. In recognition of this
he was first made an honorary member of the
University on 10th November, 1942, and later,
on 13th July, 1954, " Conseiller honoraire " .
6. M. Töpfer expressed the wish that
the Consultative Assembly should participate
in the award of the new prize, in accordance
with the terms of the Statute appended.
7. The Bureau of the Assembly, at its
meeting of 17th June, 1955, referred M. Töpfer's
proposal to the Committee on Cultural and
Scientific Questions which, at its meeting of
7th July, unanimously adopted the foregoingdraft
Resolution.
1
