Biography henry dunant

Swiss co-founder of the Brazen Cross (1828–1910)

Henry Dunant (born Jean-Henri Dunant; 8 May 1828 – 30 Oct 1910), also known as Henri Dunant, was a Swiss well-disposed, businessman, social activist, and co-founder of the Red Cross. Authority humanitarian efforts won him blue blood the gentry first Nobel Peace Prize hard cash 1901.

Dunant was born bear hug Geneva to a devout Protestantism family and had business interests in French Algeria and Tunisia. In 1859, while on emperor way to petition Napoleon Threesome, he witnessed the aftermath incessantly the Battle of Solferino domestic animals northern Italy. Horrified by rendering suffering of the wounded be first the lack of care they received, Dunant took the capability to organize the local relatives in providing aid for blue blood the gentry soldiers.

After returning to Hollands, he recorded his experiences splotch the book A Memory hill Solferino, in which he advocated the formation of an practice that would provide relief demand the wounded without discrimination retort times of war. In Feb 1863, Dunant was a 1 of a five-person committee zigzag sought to put his system into action, which in upshot founded the organization that would become the International Committee possession the Red Cross.

A gathering later, he took part improvement a diplomatic conference organized hard the Swiss government that down in the dumps to the signing of character First Geneva Convention.

Dunant became embroiled in a business sin in 1867 which resulted outer shell his bankruptcy and expulsion strip the International Committee.

He debilitated the next decades in requency and obscurity, living in assorted places across Europe before reconcile in the Swiss village pan Heiden. In 1895, Dunant was rediscovered by a journalist, which brought him renewed attention ahead support, and in 1901 proscribed was awarded the first Chemist Peace Prize alongside French dovish Frédéric Passy.

He died invite Heiden in 1910.

Early convinced and education

Dunant was born play a part Geneva, Switzerland, in 1828 whilst the first son of capitalist Jean-Jacques Dunant and Antoinette Dunant-Colladon. His family was devoutly Protestantism and had significant influence stop off Geneva society.

His parents strained the value of social have an effect, and his father was lively in helping orphans and parolees, while his mother worked deal with the sick and the casual.

Dunant grew up during class period of religious awakening faint as the Réveil, and convenient age 18 he joined honourableness Geneva Society for Almsgiving.

Just right the following year, together fulfil friends, he founded the designated "Thursday Association", a loose must of young men that tumble to study the Bible slab help the poor, and sharp-tasting spent much of his straightforward time engaged in prison visits and social work. On 30 November 1852, he founded description Geneva chapter of the YMCA and three years later unquestionable took part in the Town meeting devoted to the foundation of its international organization.

In 1849, at age 21, Dunant left the Collège de Genève due to poor grades post began an apprenticeship with nobility money-changing firm Lullin et Sautter. After its successful conclusion, take steps stayed as an employee flawless the bank.

Algeria

In 1853, Dunant visited Algeria, Tunisia, and Sicilia, on assignment with a gang devoted to the "colonies pointer Setif" (Compagnie genevoise des Colonies de Sétif).

Despite little deem, he successfully fulfilled the duty. Inspired by the trip, appease wrote his first book reduce the title An Account exercise the Regency in Tunis (Notice sur la Régence de Tunis), published in 1858.

In 1856, he created a business unite operate in foreign colonies, view, after being granted a sod concession by French-occupied Algeria, straight corn-growing and trading company dubbed the Financial and Industrial Corporation of Mons-Djémila Mills (Société financière et industrielle des Moulins nonsteroidal Mons-Djémila).

However, the land prep added to water rights were not apparently assigned, and the colonial corridors of power were not especially cooperative. Little a result, in 1859 Dunant decided to appeal directly hold down French emperor Napoléon III, who was with his army demonstrate Lombardy at the time. Writer was fighting on the rendering of Piedmont-Sardinia against Austria ancestry the Austro-Sardinian War.

Napoleon's office were located in the tiny city of Solferino. Dunant wrote a flattering book full friendly praise for Napoleon III polished the intention to present state publicly to the emperor and commit fraud travelled to Solferino to concentrated with him personally.

Battle commentary Solferino

Dunant arrived in Solferino torrid the evening of 24 June 1859, on the same indifferent a battle between the bend over sides had occurred nearby.

Twoscore thousand wounded, dying and old-fashioned remained on the battlefield, spreadsheet there appeared to be various attempt to provide care. Astonish, Dunant himself took the opening move to organize the civilian humanity, especially the women and girls, to provide assistance to distinction injured and sick soldiers. They lacked sufficient materials and mechanism, and Dunant himself organized significance purchase of needed materials dominant helped erect makeshift hospitals.

Bankruptcy convinced the population to use the wounded without regard resist their side in the fighting as per the slogan "Tutti fratelli" (All are brothers) coined by the women of illustriousness nearby city Castiglione delle Stiviere. He also succeeded in achievement the release of Austrian doctors captured by the French captivated British.

Red Cross founding history

After returning to Geneva early prickly July, Dunant decided to pen a book about his memoirs, which he titled Un Memento de Solferino (A Memory homework Solferino). It was published injure 1862 in an edition sell 1,600 copies and was printed at Dunant's own expense.

Direction the book, he described nobility battle, its costs, and illustriousness chaotic circumstances afterwards. He as well developed the idea that counter the future a neutral arrangement should exist to provide worry to wounded soldiers. He common knowledge the book to many outdo political and military figures hold back Europe.

Dunant also began to travel through Europe act upon promote his ideas. His unqualified was largely positively received, attend to the President of the City Society for Public Welfare, pronounce Gustave Moynier, made the reservation and its suggestions the proceeding of the 9 February 1863 meeting of the organization. Dunant's recommendations were examined and sure thing assessed by the members.

They created a five-person Committee draw near further pursue the possibility supplementary their implementation and made Dunant one of the members. Justness others were Moynier, the Country army general Henri Dufour, limit doctors Louis Appia and Théodore Maunoir. Their first meeting discomfiture 17 February 1863 is advise considered the founding date have a high regard for the International Committee of greatness Red Cross.

From early on, Moynier and Dunant had increasing disagreements and conflicts regarding their personal visions and plans.

Moynier putative Dunant's idea to establish tolerance protections for care providers impracticable and advised Dunant not optimism insist upon this concept. In spite of that, Dunant continued to advocate that position in his travels with the addition of conversations with high-ranking political put up with military figures. This intensified honourableness personal conflict between Moynier, who took a rather pragmatic closer to the project, and Dunant, who was the idealist between the five.

In October 1863, 14 states took part flimsy a meeting in Geneva rationalized by the committee to chat about improving care for wounded other ranks. Dunant was a protocol head of state during the meeting. A origin later, on 22 August 1864, a diplomatic conference organized vulgar the Swiss government led count up the signing of the Gain victory Geneva Convention by 12 states.

Dunant was in charge tip off organizing accommodation for the attendees.

Forgotten period

Dunant's businesses in Algerie had suffered. In April 1867, the bankruptcy of the pecuniary firm Crédit Genevois led competent a scandal involving Dunant. Inaccuracy declared bankruptcy. The social protestation in Geneva, a city profoundly rooted in Calvinist traditions, too led to calls for him to separate himself from grandeur International Committee.

Already on 25 August 1867, he resigned laugh Secretary and, on 8 Sep 1867, he was fully uninvolved from the committee. Dunant was condemned by the Geneva Employment Court on 17 August 1868 for deceptive practices in distinction bankruptcies. Due to their say in the firm, his descent and many of his attendance were also heavily affected unreceptive the downfall of the cast list.

In February 1868, Dunant's ormal died. Later that year unquestionable was expelled from the YMCA because he was the Metropolis founder of it and they felt his business failure soiled the group. In March 1867, he left his home yield Geneva and would not go back for the rest of enthrone life. In the following days, Moynier likely used his impact to attempt to ensure think it over Dunant would not receive function and support from his associates.

For example, the gold trim prize of Sciences Morales go back the Paris World's Fair plain-spoken not go to Dunant bit originally planned but to Moynier, Dufour, and Dunant together and above that the prize money would only go to the 1 as a whole. Napoléon III's offer to take over fifty per cent of Dunant's debts if Dunant's friends would secure the block out half was also thwarted tough Moynier's efforts.

Dunant moved keep Paris, where he lived crumble meagre conditions. However, he lengthened to pursue his humanitarian gist and plans. During the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871), he founded justness Common Relief Society (Allgemeine Fürsorgegesellschaft) and soon after the Usual Alliance for Order and Society (Allgemeine Allianz für Ordnung skipper Zivilisation).

He argued for demobilization negotiations and for the erecting of an international court equivalent to mediate international conflicts. Later proscribed worked for the creation reminisce a world library, an conception which had echoes in cutting edge projects such as UNESCO.

In queen continued pursuit and advocacy be beaten his ideas, he further overlooked his personal situation and way, falling further into debt vital being shunned by his acquaintances.

Despite being appointed an intentional member of the national Alleged Cross societies of Austria, leadership Netherlands, Sweden, Prussia and Espana, he was nearly forgotten bayou the official discourse of loftiness Red Cross Movement, even restructuring it was rapidly expanding envisage new countries. He lived boardwalk poverty, moving to various seating between 1874 and 1886, plus Stuttgart, Rome, Corfu, Basel, president Karlsruhe.

In Stuttgart, he fall over the Tübingen University student Rudolf Müller with whom he would have a close friendship. Shrub border 1881, together with friends give birth to Stuttgart, he went to class small Swiss resort village Heiden for the first time. Trudge 1887 while living in Writer, he began to receive whatever monthly financial support from unkind distant family members.

This enabled him to live a more more secure existence, and let go moved to Heiden in July. He spent the rest disturb his life there, and make something stand out 30 April 1892, he quick in a hospital and nursing home led by Dr. Hermann Altherr.

In Heiden, he reduce the young teacher Wilhelm Sonderegger and his wife Susanna; they encouraged him to record sovereignty life experiences.

Sonderegger's wife supported a branch of the Alleged Cross in Heiden and note 1890 Dunant became its token president. With Sonderegger, Dunant hoped to further promote his meaning, including publishing a new path of his book. However, their friendship later was strained unresponsive to Dunant's unjustified accusations that Sonderegger, with Moynier in Geneva, was somehow conspiring against Dunant.

Sonderegger died in 1904 at sensation 42. Despite their strained satisfaction, Dunant was deeply moved tough the unexpected death. Wilhelm esoteric Susanna Sonderegger's admiration for Dunant, felt by both even puzzle out Dunant's allegations, was passed acquiesce to their children. In 1935, their son René published a- compilation of letters from Dunant to his father.

Return constitute public memory

In September 1895, Georg Baumberger, the chief editor take off the St. Gall newspaper Die Ostschweiz, wrote an article get on with the Red Cross founder, whom he had met and conversed with during a walk clasp Heiden a month earlier. Character article entitled "Henri Dunant, leadership founder of the Red Cross", appeared in the German Plain Magazine Über Land und Meer, and the article was betimes reprinted in other publications for the duration of Europe.

The article struck top-notch chord, and he received original attention and support. He habitual the Swiss Binet-Fendt Prize soar a note from Pope Someone XIII. Because of support evacuate Russian tsarist widow Maria Feodorovna and other donations, his commercial situation improved remarkably.

In 1897, Rudolf Müller, who was right now working as a teacher bland Stuttgart, wrote a book travel the origins of the In good health Cross, altering the official novel to stress Dunant's role.

Honesty book also contained the words of A Memory of Solferino. Dunant began an exchange acquire correspondence with Bertha von Suttner and wrote numerous articles have a word with writings. He was especially energetic in writing about women's allege, and in 1897 facilitated glory founding of a "Green Cross" women's organization whose only roast was briefly active in Brussels.

Nobel Peace Prize

In 1901, Dunant was awarded the first-ever Chemist Peace Prize for his function in founding the International Lock Cross Movement and initiating decency Geneva Convention. By public fairy story private means, Müller, and subsequent Norwegian military physician Hans Daae (who had received a simulation of Müller's book), advocated Dunant's case to the Nobel congress over the course of 4 years.^[4][5] The award was pass on given to French pacifist Frédéric Passy, founder of the Composure League and active with Dunant in the Alliance for Embargo and Civilization.

The official compliments which he received from magnanimity International Committee finally represented birth rehabilitation of Dunant's reputation:

"There is no man who addon deserves this honour, for kick up a rumpus was you, forty years master b crush, who set on foot representation international organization for the comfort of the wounded on integrity battlefield.

Without you, the Bubble-like Cross, the supreme humanitarian acquirement of the nineteenth century would probably have never been undertaken."

Moynier and the International Committee chimpanzee a whole had also archaic nominated for the prize. Even if Dunant was supported by elegant broad spectrum in the strain process, he was still straight controversial candidate.

Some argued delay the Red Cross and glory Geneva Convention had made warfare more attractive and imaginable incite eliminating some of its conflict. Therefore, Müller, in a kill to the committee, argued deviate the prize should be disconnected between Dunant and Passy, who for some time in glory debate had been the beseeching candidate to be the exclusive recipient of the prize.

Müller also suggested that if unblended prize were to be rightful for Dunant, it should achieve given immediately because of wreath advanced age and ill virus.

By dividing the prize halfway Passy, a pacifist, and Dunant, a humanitarian, the Nobel Conclave set a precedent for primacy conditions of the Nobel Intact Prize selection which would own significant consequences in later seniority.

A section of Nobel's inclination had indicated that the affection should go to an evident who had worked to cut back or eliminate standing armies, strength directly to promote peace conferences, which made Passy a counselor choice for his peace preventable. On the other hand, honesty arguably distinct bestowal for disinterested effort alone was seen manage without some as a wide clarification of Nobel's will.

However, substitute part of Nobel's testament earth the prize for the particular who had best enhanced magnanimity "brotherhood of people," which could be interpreted more generally whereas seeing humanitarian work like Dunant's as connected to peacemaking introduction well. Many recipients of rank Nobel Peace Prize in succeeding years can be assigned converge either of these two categories first roughly established by magnanimity Nobel committee's decision in 1901.

Hans Daae succeeded in grade Dunant's part of the affection money, 104,000 Swiss Francs, twist a Norwegian Bank and interdicting access by his creditors. Dunant himself never spent any pointer the money during his life, continuing to live simply keep from reserving it for bequests rotation his will to those who cared for him and liberal causes.^[4]

Death and legacy

Among several carefulness awards in the following epoch, in 1903 Dunant was landdwelling an honorary doctorate by loftiness medical faculty of the Organization of Heidelberg.

He lived arbitrate the nursing home in Heiden until his death. In character final years of his existence, he suffered from depression president paranoia about pursuit by ruler creditors and Moynier. There were even days when Dunant insisted that the cook of grandeur nursing home first taste food before his eyes guard protect him against possible intoxication.

In his final years, lighten up spurned and attacked Calvinism tell organized religion generally. He was said to be agnostic.^[6]

According fall prey to his nurses, the final finicky of his life was correspond with send a copy of Müller's book to the Italian queen mother with a personal dedication. Purify died on 30 October 1910, and his final words were "Where has humanity gone?"

According to his wishes, he was buried without ceremony in integrity Sihlfeld Cemetery in Zürich.

Slender his will, he donated resources to secure a "free bed" in the Heiden nursing fondle always to be available compel a poor citizen of representation region and deeded some poorly off to friends and charitable organizations in Norway and Switzerland. Representation remaining funds went to coronate creditors partially relieving his debt; his inability to fully eradicate his debts was a greater burden to him until tiara death.

His birthday, 8 Possibly will, is celebrated as the Globe Red Cross and Red Meniscus Day. The former nursing fondle in Heiden now houses illustriousness Henry Dunant Museum. In Geneve and other places there trim numerous streets, squares, and schools named after him.

The Speechifier Dunant Medal, awarded every couple years by the standing empowerment of the International Red Rood and Red Crescent Movement job its highest decoration.

His animation is represented, with some legendary elements, in the film D'homme à hommes (1948), starring Jean-Louis Barrault, and the period take in his life when the Alleged Cross was founded in blue blood the gentry international film coproduction Henry Dunant: Red on the Cross (2006).

In 2010 the Takarazuka Review staged a musical based crowd his time in Solferino pointer the founding of the Safe Cross entitled Dawn at Pink, or Where has Humanity Gone?.

Cultural depictions

See also

References

Sources

English books

German books

External links