Hosting Europe. Local organisation of the Congress of Europe, The Hague

Abstract

In May 1948, the Congress of Europe took place in the city of The Hague in The Netherlands. This paper, based on local Dutch sources, describes the local organisation of the congress which was an ambitious enterprise. More than 700 guests had to be provided with accommodation, food and local transport in a period of reconstruction in the aftermath of the Second World War. Moreover, the organisers had to search for sponsors as participants only paid for their transport ticket to The Hague. Staging the congress was even more challenged by the late start of the preparations, only three months before the guests arrived.