News articles, tribute to Jean Monnet (Cognac, France, November 9, 1888 - Houjarray, France, March 16, 1979), one of the founding fathers of European construction. He had a long career in the world of politics and in the world of economics and finance. Since 1914, he was responsible for numerous tasks in the service of the French and British governments. Member of the government of Free France since 1943, after the liberation of France Charles de Gaulle asked him to establish a modernisation and equipment plan for the country. In face of rising international tensions in 1950, he developed the idea for a European Community and prepared the famous Robert Schuman Declaration on 9 May 1950. He became the first President of the High Authority for the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) on 7 August 1952 and held the positon until 3rd of June 1955. He was granted honorary citizen of Europe in 1976 and was buried in the French Pantheon in 1988.