Henry Dunant

@Founder of the Red Cross, Birthday and Facts ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Henry Dunant or Jean Henri Dunant was a Swiss social and peace activist who founded the Red Cross and was the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize Nobel Peace Prize Philanthropists Swiss Activists Human Rights Activists Taurus Celebrities Henry Dunant or Jean Henri Dunant was a Swiss social and peace activist who founded the Red Cross and was the recipient of the first Nobel Peace Prize along with a French peacemaker Frederic Passy. Durant had a life that was the opposite of the rags to riches story. His life started from the home of nobility and ended up at a hospice in a small village. It encompassed the fame of giving rise to international bodies for caring of the soldiers wounded in battle to the obscurity of being shunned by all. He remained in the hospice in the obscure village till he was rediscovered and heaped with honors after many years. He was born with a silver spoon but died a pauper. He invested in a company but lost all his fortune by neglecting his business while being busy with humanitarian work. He had to dine on crumbs of bread, sleep on the pavements when he had no money. After settling his debts he left the remaining amount to his relatives and to charitable organizations. Some of this money was also used to reserve a free bed for poor patients in the hospice where he spent his last days.

Personal Details

Birthday: May 8, 1828 Died on: October 30, 1910 Nationality: Swiss Famous: Founder of the Red Cross, Nobel Peace Prize, Philanthropists, Activists, Human Rights Activists Known as: Jean Henri Dunant Universities: Collège Calvin Founder / Co-Founder: International Committee of the Red Cross International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Swiss Red Cross Information Detail Birthday May 8, 1828 Died on October 30, 1910 Nationality Swiss Famous Founder of the Red Cross, Nobel Peace Prize, Philanthropists, Activists, Human Rights Activists Known as Jean Henri Dunant Universities Collège Calvin Founder / Co-Founder International Committee of the Red Cross International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Swiss Red Cross Birth Place Geneva, Switzerland Religion Calvinism Gender Male Father Jean-Jacques Dunant Mother Antoinette Dunant-Colladon Sun Sign Taurus Born in Geneva, Switzerland Famous as Founder of the Red Cross Died at Age 82

Geneva, Switzerland

Henry Dunant born at Unsplash Birth Place

Jean Henri Dunant died in the Heiden hospice in Switzerland on October 30, 1910. He left behind a daughter from his marriage. Unsplash Personal Life

He had suffered from depression and paranoia during his life in Heiden. Unsplash Personal Life

His birthday on May 8 of every year is celebrated as the ‘World Red Cross Day’ Unsplash Personal Life

Jean Henri Dunant was born in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 8, 1828, to a prosperous businessman named Jean-Jaques Dunant and a social activist named Antoinette Dunant-Colladon. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He started social work by forming ‘Thursday Association’ at the age of 18. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

When he was 21, Henry Dunant had to leave College Calvin as his grades were not up to the mark. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

He joined a banking firm named ‘Lullin et Sautter’ as an apprentice in 1849. Unsplash Career

In 1856, he founded a multinational company ‘Financial and Industrial Company of Mons-Djemila Mills’ and bought land in Algeria to grow corn. Unsplash Career

He arrived at the town of Solferino, Lombardy, Northern Italy, on June 24, 1859 to bring to the notice of Napoleon III the uncooperative attitude of local Algerian authorities. Unsplash Career

He came face-to-face with a battle between the French-Sardinian forces under Napoleon III and the Austrian troops which had left more than 40,000 troops dead, dying or wounded and was moved by their suffering. Unsplash Career

He procured medical aid and food, organized civilian nursing and got the release of captive Austrian doctors to help with the wounded soldiers irrespective of their nationalities. Unsplash Career

Georg Baumberger’s article helped him to get the Swiss Binet-Fendt Prize in 1895. Pope Leo XIII also sent him a note of appreciation. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

Rudolf Muller’s book helped him to receive the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 along with the French pacifist Frederic Passy. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

Information	Detail
Birthday	May 8, 1828
Died on	October 30, 1910
Nationality	Swiss
Famous	Founder of the Red Cross, Nobel Peace Prize, Philanthropists, Activists, Human Rights Activists
Known as	Jean Henri Dunant
Universities	Collège Calvin
Founder / Co-Founder	International Committee of the Red Cross International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Zimbabwe Red Cross Society Swiss Red Cross
Birth Place	Geneva, Switzerland
Religion	Calvinism
Gender	Male
Father	Jean-Jacques Dunant
Mother	Antoinette Dunant-Colladon
Sun Sign	Taurus
Born in	Geneva, Switzerland
Famous as	Founder of the Red Cross
Died at Age	82

Henry Dunant

Swiss

May 8, 1828

Biography

Personal Details

Geneva, Switzerland