Memoirs of Bertha von Suttner: The Records of an Eventful Life (Vol. 2 of 2)Suttner, Bertha von
History
Memoirs of Bertha von Suttner: The Records of an Eventful Life (Vol. 2 of 2)
Suttner, Bertha von
Peace; Suttner, Bertha von, 1843-1914; Women -- Austria -- Biography
When, in the year 1861, I wrote my _Souvenir de Solferino_, my
principal aim—be assured of this—was general pacification; I desired
as far as I could to awaken horror of war in the readers of my book.
This has been recognized, and I will merely adduce one example. The
famous Professor Marc Girardin, of the French Academy, said in an
article devoted to my book, “I could wish that this book should be
widely read, especially by those who love and glorify war.”
And Victor Hugo wrote me: “You furnish mankind with weapons, and you
help peace by making war hateful.... I applaud your noble desire.”
I might say much on this theme, and bring forward a quantity of
citations in like spirit from authorities of all kinds and all
countries; but I must refrain, and beg you, Baroness, to accept the
assurance of my most sincere gratitude and my deepest respect.
Henri Dunant
The yearly meeting of my Union for 1901 took the form of a sort of
jubilee; ten years had passed since its establishment.
From among the many letters of greeting that reached me on this occasion
I will include a few in these reminiscences, for the reason that they
depict the status of the movement at that time, and also furnish a
résumé of its philosophy.
Paris, December 27, 1901
Gracious Lady and dear Associate:
The friend has usually written you; to-day the president of the French
Society for Arbitration among the Nations and—since he cannot hide the
title—the first recipient of the Nobel prize sends these lines to you,
though of course the friend is not eliminated. If I am correctly
informed, you are holding the tenth general assembly of the society of
which you are the head. And this is an event which we cannot permit to
pass without notice. It means something for a Union to have lived ten
years, especially for the reason that at its inception many, even
among the well disposed, might reasonably have doubts of its
continuance. You certainly had to meet the prejudice, if not the
opposition, of some; the skepticism and the scruples of others; not to
mention the ridicule of those who could not understand that a woman
might take part in the political questions which, according to their
ideas, are reserved exclusively for masculine intelligence and
activity.
But, supported certainly by true and genuine sympathies, you have put
up a good fight, and you have attained your end.
Courage, then, and patience! And may it be permitted me in my
character as dean, and as a veteran of the peace militia, to send to
you, and through you to transmit to your society, the thanks, the
congratulations, and the benediction of all those who combine regard
for human life, love for justice, and faith in the future with horror
of force and bloodshed.
Frédéric Passy
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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