Pierre Frieden

Who was Pierre Frieden?

Pierre Frieden was a Luxembourgish politician and writer. He was the 18th Prime Minister of Luxembourg, serving for eleven months, from 29 March 1958 until his death, on 23 February 1959. He also served as Interior Minister since 1951.

Frieden was born in 1892 in Mertert. From 1912 to 1916 he studied philosophy and literature in Luxembourg city and in Freiburg, Zürich, Geneva and Munich. In 1919 he became a professor and taught until 1940 in the Lycée classique de Diekirch, the Athénée de Luxembourg and in the Cours supérieurs.

During the German invasion of Luxembourg in 1940 he was the only member of the government who was unable to escape into exile. From 18 September until 4 November 1942 he was interned in Hinzert concentration camp. In 1944, after the liberation of Luxembourg, he became Minister for Education, Culture and Science under Pierre Dupong. From 14 December 1945 to 15 July 1948 he was a member of the Council of State.

He returned to his post as Minister for Education, Culture and Science in the government of Joseph Bech, who became Prime Minister after Pierre Dupong's death in 1953. He was also Minister for Families and the Interior.