He wanted to get rich, but an attempt to meet with the Emperor of France ended for our hero in a hospital. There he did not receive treatment, but provided assistance to all those in need.
War changes a lot in people's lives. This is evil, but it is this that often makes a person show his best qualities in order to resist death. The experience of a noble deed for some becomes just an unusual episode in a biography, but for Henri Dunant it has become a life landmark.
Childhood
In May 1828, the Geneva merchant Jean-Jacques Dunant became a father. The son was named Henri, and the parent hoped to pass on his business to him. He himself was able to achieve not only material well-being, but also great respect among his compatriots - Mr. Dunant was a member of the city council. On the mother's side, the boy also had famous relatives. His uncle Jean-Daniel Colladon was a scientist and received an award from the French Academy of Sciences for his discoveries.
The boy was brought up in the spirit of Catholicism, trying first to instill high moral standards, and only then to teach the craft of a merchant. On weekends, he accompanied an older family member to hospital and shelter visits. There, guests from high society handed out gifts to the poor.
Youth
It is impossible to explain all the intricacies of home economics, because as soon as Henri turned 18, he was sent to study this wisdom in college. A diligent student received an education and did not forget what his parents taught him. On weekends, he used his own money to buy modest gifts for the poor and go to charitable establishments. Often the young man visited the inmates of the local prison. He conducted soul-saving conversations with them and urged them not to take up the old after their release.
The first place of work of our hero was a bank. The father wanted his son to learn to be independent, therefore, on principle, he did not invite him to help him in Geneva. When the young man expressed a desire to travel, Dunant Sr. was delighted. Soon an interesting job was found for Henri as a sales representative in Sicily.
In pursuit of a long ruble
Fidget did not stay on the island for long. As soon as he was offered a job in Africa, he immediately agreed. The mysterious continent attracted him with the opportunity to combine career and adventure. Since 1854, Henri Dunant traveled and signed contracts.
The brave businessman succeeded and a few years later created his own financial and industrial company. The native of industrialized Switzerland was amazed at how poorly developed the expanses of North Africa were. In 1859, Henri Dunant was lucky to discover minerals in Algeria and a place for setting up a large farm. He submitted a petition to representatives of the local authorities to lease promising land to him, but was refused. The state was a colony of France, and the young businessman was told that such issues were resolved only in Paris.
Scary acquaintance
Henri Dunant was enraged by the spinelessness of the Algerian governors. He decided to get a meeting with the Emperor Napoleon III himself. It was not difficult to find the autocrat - he had just left to admire the theater of operations in Italy, where France and the Kingdom of Sardinia fought with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The businessman learned that battles were raging under Solferino, and headed there.
What our hero saw when he arrived at the place made him forget about the purpose of the voyage. The battle had just died down, and the field was littered with the bodies of people. The wounded lay next to the dead and cried out in vain for help. Henri Dunant could not indifferently observe their suffering, he undertook to save the unfortunate. He asked all his acquaintances to make a feasible contribution to a good cause, organized a hospital in the nearest village and recruited local residents into its staff and worked as an orderly himself. Our hero simply forgot about the purpose of his voyage.
A noble undertaking
As soon as all the wounded soldiers received first aid, Dunant departed for Switzerland. There he wrote the book "Memories of the Battle of Sollferino" in the shortest possible time and published it. Dunant was not going to dwell only on creativity. Since politicians were deaf to his calls, Henri turned to his colleagues. Many wealthy men donated to the organization of hospitals.
In 1863, the frantic humanist was able to convene an international conference in Geneva on the problem of providing assistance to victims of military conflicts. The meeting resulted in the establishment of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The patriotic Dunant proposed this emblem, changing the colors of the flag of his Fatherland, but leaving its symbolism.
Scary end
From now on, former business partners were considered by Dunant only as potential patrons, he abandoned his business long ago, having spent everything on organizing hospitals and orphanages. The personal life of our hero also did not work out - he had no wife, no children. Soon, Henri was left without a livelihood. Every morning he tinted ink on the worn sleeves of his frock coat, chalked the collar of his only shirt, and went to those who could support the Red Cross financially. He did not spend a penny of the contributions transferred through him on his own needs.
In 1890, a village teacher noticed a strange vagabond on the outskirts of the village of Hayden. He recognized him as Henri Dunant. The unfortunate man was able to be accommodated in an almshouse, where in 1910 he died.
