# Henry Dunant

> Swiss businessman and co-founder of the Red Cross (1828-1910)

**Wikidata**: [Q12091](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12091)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Dunant)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/henry-dunant

## Summary
Henry Dunant (1828–1910) was a Swiss businessman, writer and philanthropist best known as a co-founder of the Red Cross. He authored a prominent memoir, helped establish the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

## Biography
- Born: 1828 (place not provided in source); died 1910
- Nationality: Switzerland
- Education: Collège Calvin (affiliated)
- Known for: Swiss businessman and co-founder of the Red Cross
- Employer(s): International Committee of the Red Cross; International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
- Field(s): entrepreneurship, merchant activity, writing, founding philanthropic and aid organizations

## Contributions
- Co-founded the International Committee of the Red Cross, an institution based in Geneva with an inception date of 1863-02-17. The ICRC is a humanitarian institution and is a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate.
- Co-founded the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, an international humanitarian movement with inception date 1863-02-17. The Movement is headquartered in Geneva and lists employee counts in source material (300,000 and 18,000 as reported).
- Authored the memoir "A Memory of Solferino" (1862), a work directly attributed to Henry Dunant in the source material.
- Namesake legacies and recognitions created after his life: the Henry Dunant Medal (inception 1965) — the highest award of the Red Cross Movement — and the Henry Dunant Museum in Heiden, Switzerland (inception 1969).
- Commemorated in place names: Stade rue Henri Dunant, a football stadium in Luxembourg, is associated with his name.

## FAQs
Q: What organizations did Henry Dunant help create?
A: He co-founded the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, both with inception date 1863-02-17 and both based in Geneva according to the source material.

Q: What did Henry Dunant publish?
A: He published the memoir "A Memory of Solferino" in 1862.

Q: What honors and awards did Henry Dunant receive?
A: The source lists the Nobel Peace Prize among his awards and numerous chivalric and national orders, including Knight of the Legion of Honour (France), Royal Order of Vasa (Sweden), Albert Order (Kingdom of Saxony), Order of the Zähringer Lion, Order of the Crown (Prussia), Order of the Redeemer (Greece), Friedrich Order (Württemberg), Order of Glory (Tunisia), Order of Ludwig I (Grand Duchy of Hesse), Order of Christ (Portugal), and the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Royal House of Savoy).

Q: Are there institutions or awards named after him?
A: Yes. The Henry Dunant Medal (inception 1965) is the highest award of the Red Cross Movement, and the Henry Dunant Museum in Heiden, Switzerland (inception 1969) is named for him.

Q: Where was Henry Dunant educated?
A: He is affiliated with Collège Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland, as provided in the source.

Q: What other roles or occupations is he associated with?
A: The source associates him with roles including entrepreneur, writer, founder, merchant, and philanthropy/aid agency work.

## Why They Matter
Henry Dunant’s work led directly to the creation of enduring humanitarian institutions. The International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, both founded in 1863 and based in Geneva, grew into major international humanitarian actors; the ICRC itself is described in the source as a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate. Dunant’s 1862 memoir "A Memory of Solferino" is presented as a concrete intellectual contribution that preceded and is linked to the founding initiatives. The continued use of his name for a major medal (the Henry Dunant Medal) and a museum underline his lasting symbolic and organizational influence within humanitarian aid and philanthropy. Without his published account and foundational role, the specific Geneva-based institutions and the international movement identified in the source would not have the same documented origin and named legacy.

## Notable For
- Co-founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross (inception 1863-02-17).
- Co-founder of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (inception 1863-02-17).
- Author of the 1862 memoir "A Memory of Solferino."
- Nobel Peace Prize laureate (listed among his awards in the source).
- Recipient of multiple national and chivalric honors: Knight of the Legion of Honour (France); Royal Order of Vasa (Sweden); Albert Order (Kingdom of Saxony); Order of the Zähringer Lion; Order of the Crown (Prussia); Order of the Redeemer (Greece); Friedrich Order (Württemberg); Order of Glory (Tunisia); Order of Ludwig I (Grand Duchy of Hesse); Order of Christ (Portugal); Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Royal House of Savoy).
- Eponym for the Henry Dunant Medal (inception 1965) and the Henry Dunant Museum in Heiden, Switzerland (inception 1969).
- Commemoration in place name: Stade rue Henri Dunant (Luxembourg).

## Body

### Identity and metadata
- Full name and common variants: Henry Dunant. Aliases recorded in the source include Jean Henri Dunant; Jean Henry Dunant; J. Henry Dunant; Errikos D̲ynan; Anrī Dyunan; Jean-Henri Dunant; Sodabeh Dunant; and Henri Dunant.
- Wikidata description provided: "Swiss businessman and co-founder of the Red Cross (1828-1910)."
- Wikipedia title (as recorded in source): Henry Dunant.
- Sitelink count from the source for the person: 107.

### Early life and education
- Born in 1828; died in 1910 (years provided in the source).
- Education affiliation: Collège Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland (institutional link provided).

### Career overview
- Professionally identified as a businessman and merchant in the source material; also described as an entrepreneur and writer.
- Engaged in activities categorized as philanthropy and aid agency work; recognized as a founder of institutions intended to persist beyond his direct involvement.

### Founding and institutional work
- Instrumental in founding two closely linked entities:
  - International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): inception date 1863-02-17; described as a humanitarian institution based in Geneva and a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate.
  - International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: inception date 1863-02-17; described as an international humanitarian movement headquartered in Geneva with employee figures reported in the source (300,000 and 18,000).
- These organizations are specified as key people/entities related to Henry Dunant in the source material.

### Publications and written work
- A Memory of Solferino (1862): explicitly listed as a memoir by Henry Dunant in the provided data.

### Honors and awards
- Nobel Peace Prize: listed among his awards in the source.
- Orders and decorations listed in the source (with country or inception where provided):
  - Knight of the Legion of Honour (France).
  - Royal Order of Vasa (Sweden). Inception: 1772-05-29.
  - Albert Order (Kingdom of Saxony). Inception: 1850-12-31.
  - Order of the Zähringer Lion. Inception: 1812-12-26.
  - Order of the Crown (Prussia). Inception: 1861-10-18.
  - Order of the Redeemer (Greece). Inception: 1833-05-20.
  - Friedrich Order (Kingdom of Württemberg). Inception: 1830-01-01.
  - Order of Glory (Tunisia). Inception: 1835-05-20.
  - Order of Ludwig I (Grand Duchy of Hesse). Inception: 1807-08-25.
  - Order of Christ (Portugal). Inception: 1318 (as provided).
  - Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Royal House of Savoy). Inception: 1572 (as provided).

### Legacy, namesakes and commemorations
- Henry Dunant Medal: inception 1965; described as the highest award of the Red Cross Movement and named for him.
- Henry Dunant Museum: inception 1969; museum in Heiden, Switzerland, named after Henry Dunant.
- Stade rue Henri Dunant: a football stadium in Luxembourg carrying his name.
- The continued prominence of the ICRC and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, both cited as having Geneva headquarters and substantial employee figures in the source, form part of his institutional legacy.

### Related entities and descriptors
- Countries and places that appear in connection with him and his honors: Switzerland and France are explicitly listed; Sweden, Kingdom of Saxony, Prussia, Greece, Württemberg, Tunisia, Grand Duchy of Hesse, Portugal, and the Royal House of Savoy are associated with orders and decorations listed in the source.
- Roles and descriptors associated with him in the source: human, entrepreneur, writer, founder, merchant, philanthropy, aid agency.

### Influence and institutional scale (as reported)
- The International Committee of the Red Cross is described in the source as a Geneva-based humanitarian institution and a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is described as an international humanitarian movement with Geneva headquarters and employee counts listed (300,000 and 18,000) in the provided data.

### Summary of recorded dates and inceptions in source material
- Henry Dunant: life span years 1828–1910.
- A Memory of Solferino: 1862.
- International Committee of the Red Cross: inception 1863-02-17.
- International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: inception 1863-02-17.
- Henry Dunant Medal: inception 1965.
- Henry Dunant Museum: inception 1969.
- Inception dates for listed orders are reproduced where given in the source (see Honors and awards).

### Additional notes from source
- The source lists multiple aliases and alternate spellings for Henry Dunant.  
- The person is recorded with a sitelink_count of 107 and a wikipedia_title of "Henry Dunant" in the source material.

## References

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