The origins of ELEC
"When ELEC was founded in 1946 Europe was licking its wounds in the aftermath of a disaster unprecedented in its history, a disaster the magnitude of which demanded equally unprecedented action if we were to pull ourselves together again. To the clearest minds of the day, economic and political unification was the only answer if Europe was to rebuild swiftly, offer its nations the prospect of lasting peace and prosperity, and gradually regain its economic, political and cultural influence on the international scene."
excerpt from "Europe in the eighties: ELEC in action"
ELEC publication n°55 (nov1981)
references
- "La Ligue Européenne de Coopération Économique (1946-1981)"
Michel DUMOULIN et Anne-Myriam DUTRIEUE
(Ed. Euroclio, série "Études et documents", 1993)- "Les débuts de la Ligue Européenne de Coopération Economique (1946-1949)"
Michel DUMOULIN (in "Res Publica" n°1, 1987)- "L'action de Jozef Retinger en faveur de l'idée européenne 1940-46" Thierry GROSBOIS
(in "Revue européenne d'Histoire" vol. 6 n°1, 1999)- "The Origins of the European League for Economic Co-operation"
Matthijs van der Velden (ELEC, Feb. 95)- "50th Anniversary of ELEC (1946-1996) - In Remembrance of Jozef Retinger"
(ELEC, Jun. 96)
some outstanding people and moments
overview of publications from the archives
slide show on the ocasion of ELEC's 60th anniversary
testimonies * Yvonne de Wergifosse remembers ...
* Matthijs van der Velden remembers ...
documents *Kronberg Monetary Conference: the history
former Presidents and Secretaries General