Élie Ducommun
Élie Ducommun ( born February 19, 1833 in Geneva, † December 7, 1906 in Bern ) was a Swiss journalist, businessman, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. He was chancellor of the canton of Geneva ( 1862-1865 ), co-editor of the newspaper " Les États -Unis d'Europe " (1868 ), founding member of the Swiss People's Bank, now CS (1869 ), Secretary of the Jura - Simplon railway, today Swiss Federal Railways AG (1873-1903) and director of the "International peace Bureau Standing " ( 1891-1906 ). On December 10, 1902, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize together with Charles Albert Gobat.
Professional and political career
After a stint as a tutor in Saxony Ducommun 1853 returned back to Geneva. A trained journalist and convinced liberals was 1858-1862 Grand Council of the Canton of Geneva. After his time as a Grand Council, he was appointed chancellor of the canton of Geneva, a function he carried out until 1865.
As editor of the political magazine " Progres " in Delemont, 1865-1868, he was with the then flourishing in some European States peace movement in contact. After the founding of the " League for Peace and Freedom" (1868 ) he was editor of the Bulletin " Les Etats- Unis d'Europe " ( The United States of Europe).
As editor of " Progres ", he was a well-known personality in the canton of Bern, 1868, he was elected to the Grand Council, where he remained until 1877. In 1872 he was co-founder of the " Cercle Romand démocratique ", a political party which later in " Parti National Romand " renamed. From 1874 to 1877 Ducommun was a member of the City Council and translator of the municipal assembly of the city of Biel / Bienne. He also was a member of the local regional newspaper " Journal du Jura ".
Businessman
The goal of international peace Ducommun did not lose sight of the fact even if it temporarily moving other commercial more. In order to offer the Swiss workers a bank with favorable terms, in 1869 he founded the Swiss Volksbank. It was consistent with its belief that social peace depends crucially in a democratic community of the financial security of the workers.
In addition to his service as a Member to Ducommun devoted in the years 1873-1903 as Secretary General of the construction of the Jura - Bern - Lucerne railway, later called Jura - Simplon railway.
Peace politician
Ducommuns work for peace was rather low-key but effective. Not spectacular feats, but by persistent work, he became a pioneer of the peace movement. With Pierre Jolissaint and James Fazy he organized in 1867 an international peace conference in Geneva. Ducommun was in 1868 co-founded the " League for Peace and Freedom." At the 3rd Conference of the " Inter-Parliamentary Union " in Rome, 1891, Ducommon was appointed head of the " Bureau International Permanent de la Paix " ( in German: " Permanent International Peace Bureau " ), headquartered in Bern chosen. First honorary, from 1903 until his death, in 1906, when the full-time Secretary General. In this role, he had to coordinate the activities of numerous national peace organizations. For his work as Secretary General of the Peace offices, he was awarded the 1902 Nobel Peace Prize.
Bibliography
- Derniers sourires: Poésies précédées d'une notice biographique, Bern 1908
- Discours sur l'oeuvre de la paix à Genève le 23 mai prononcé 1893, Bern 1893
- The Permanent International Bureau of Peace, The Independent March 19, 1903
- Précis historique du mouvement de la paix en faveur, Bern 1899
- Sourires: Poésies, Biel 1887