Henry Dunant: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:35, 23 October 2005

Revision as of 03:40, 23 October 2005

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Dunant's businesses in Algeria had suffered, partially because his devotion to his ideas. In April 1867, the bankruptcy of the financial firm ''Crédit Genevois'' led to a scandal involving Dunant. He was forced to declare bankruptcy and was condemned by the Geneva Trade Court on [[August 17]], [[1868]] for deceptive practices in the bankruptcies. Due to their investments in the firm, his family and many of his friends were also heavily affected by the downfall of the company. The social outcry in Geneva, a city deeply rooted in Calvinist traditions, also led to calls for him to separate himself from the International Committee. On [[August 25]], [[1867]], he resigned as Secretary and on [[September 8]] he was fully removed from the Committee. Moynier, who had become President of the Committee in 1864, played a major role in his expulsion.

In February 1868, Dunant's mother died. Later that year he was also expelled from the YMCA. In March 1867, he left his home city Geneva and would not return untilfor histhe deathrest of the life. In the following years, Moynier likely used his influence to attempt to insure that Dunant would not receive assistance from his friends and support. For example, the gold medal prize of ''Sciences Morales'' at the Paris World's Fair did not go to Dunant as originally planned but to Moynier, Dufour, and Dunant together so that the prize money would only go to the Committee as a whole. Napoléon III's offer to take over half of Dunant's debts if Dunant's friends would secure the other half was also thwarted by Moynier's efforts.

Dunant moved to Paris where he lived in poor and meager conditions. However, he continued to pursue his humanitarian ideas and plans. During the [[Franco-Prussian War]] (1870-1871), he founded the "Common Relief Society" (''Allgemeine Fürsorgegesellschaft'') and soon after the "Common Alliance for Order and Civilization" (''Allgemeine Allianz für Ordnung und Zivilisation''). He argued for disarmament negotiations and for the erection of an international court to mediate international conflicts. Later he worked for the erection of a world library, an idea which has echoes in future projects like those of [[UNESCO]]. He also advocated the creation of a Jewish state in the area of [[Palestine]]/[[Israel]].