Henry Dunant (1828-1910) was a Swiss businessman and social activist who became the founding figure of the International Committee of the Red Cross. After witnessing the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in 1859, where thousands of wounded soldiers were left largely without care, he published a firsthand account, A Memory of Solferino, calling for the creation of national relief societies to aid the wounded in wartime regardless of nationality and for international agreements to protect them. His advocacy directly led to the founding of the Red Cross in 1863 and to the first Geneva Convention in 1864. In 1901 he was awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of this work, despite having spent much of his later life in poverty after earlier business failures.
Facts
RoleHumanitarian, businessman and co-founder of the Red Cross 1 Role
Role (category)Business / Industrialist 1 FAQs
What happened to Henry Dunant after he helped found the Red Cross?
He went bankrupt in 1867 and lived in poverty until a journalist rediscovered him in 1895.
Dunant became embroiled in a business scandal in 1867 that ended in his bankruptcy and his expulsion from the International Committee. He spent the next decades in poverty and obscurity, living in various places across Europe before settling in the Swiss village of Heiden. A journalist rediscovered him in 1895, which brought him renewed attention and support, and in 1901 he was awarded the first Nobel Peace Prize alongside the French pacifist Frédéric Passy. He died in Heiden in 1910.
Connections
Associated With
Founded by Henry Dunant after he witnessed the suffering of wounded soldiers at the Battle of Solferino.
In Era
Source Wikipedia: Henry Dunant
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Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Wikidata: Henry Dunant
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Henry Dunant
WikipediaLead paragraph, birth-name and birthdate clause
born Jean-Henri Dunant; 8 May 1828
Early life and education section, birth clause
Dunant was born in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1828 as the first son of businessman Jean-Jacques Dunant and Antoinette Dunant-Colladon.
Death and legacy section, death-date clause
He died on 30 October 1910, and his final words were "Where has humanity gone?"
Lead paragraph, lifespan clause
Henry Dunant (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi dynɑ̃]; born Jean-Henri Dunant; 8 May 1828 - 30 October 1910), also known as Henri Dunant, was a Swiss humanitarian, businessman, social activist, and co-founder of the Red Cross.
Death and legacy section, opening clause
He lived in the nursing home in Heiden until his death.
Lead paragraph, occupation clause
was a Swiss humanitarian, businessman, social activist, and co-founder of the Red Cross.
Lead paragraph, alias clause
also known as Henri Dunant
Lead paragraph, birth-name clause
born Jean-Henri Dunant
Henry Dunant: Gender
After witnessing the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino in 1859, where thousands of wounded soldiers were left largely without care, he published a firsthand account, A Memory of Solferino, calling for the creation of national relief societies to aid the wounded in wartime regardless of nationality and for international agreements to protect them.
In Era: The Late Modern Period, lead paragraph, lifespan
Henry Dunant (French pronunciation: [ɑ̃ʁi dynɑ̃]; born Jean-Henri Dunant; 8 May 1828 - 30 October 1910), also known as Henri Dunant, was a Swiss humanitarian, businessman, social activist, and co-founder of the Red Cross.
View the Source Wikidata: Henry Dunant
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