Antony Krafft-Bonnard – 140
(1869-1945)
02.07.2009
Krafft-Bonar was born in a family of a pharmacist in city Aigle,
canton Vaud, Switzerland, in June 15, 1869. He graduated from school
in Laussane, in 1888, and then he studied theology in Lozano, Berlin,
Paris till 1893.
>From 1893 to 1919 he was spiritual director (clergyman) in different
settlements of Switzerland. Later he left the church and completely
devoted himself to the Armenian question and the solution of number of
problems of Armenian genocide survivors. He got married in 1894, had 4
children – 3 daughters and a son, who also joined to activities of
Armenophiles, as their father.
Krafft-Bonnard started his Armenophile activities from 1896, when he
had a speech on horrifying consequences of Hamidian massacres in
village Begnin, Switzerland, where he was pastor. Impressed with the
stunning appeal of Krafft-Bonnard several Swiss families expressed
willingness to adopt Armenian children who became orphans after
Armenian massacres in the Ottoman Empire. Soon with the efforts of
Bonnard an institute was found in village Begnin called "Armenian
hearth", the aim of which was to shelter and take care of hundreds of
Armenian refugees in Switzerland. Cooperating with George Cote, the
founder of Armenophile activities in Switzerland, Krafft-Bonar was
actively engaged in works of organization "Swiss society of migration
and patronage of Armenian orphans" and became its president from 1896.
About 2000 Armenian orphans were sheltered in Swiss orphanages from
1898 to 1922.
In addition to orphan care, the great missionary actively organized
and implemented series of activities improving the conditions of
Armenian survivors. In 1896 on Bonnard’s direct initiative an assembly
of Swiss cantons was held in Laussane, where it was decided to provide
humanitarian aid to Armenian population of Ottoman Empire. In the
meantime, again with active efforts of Krafft-Bonnard "Swiss
organization of Armenian Relief" was founded, which continued its
activities up to 1922. As the head secretary of the "Union of Swiss
Committees of Friends of Armenia" Krafft-Bonnard steadily appealed to
the leaders of Great powers concerned about the destiny of Armenian
nationals of Ottoman Empire. On October 31, 1919, Bonnard sent a
telegram to president of USA W. Wilson in which he was asking "to take
the martyring nation under his protection". From 1920 he was member of
executive committee of "International League of Armenophiles", and
persistently appealed to League of Nations to advocate the Armenian
question.
Krafft-Bonnard wrote series of works devoted to Armenian question. In
one of his works he writes: "If any Armenian asks you for help, don’t
treat him as a beggar, but extend a helping hand to him with respect
and excuse, because we must not disavow from our responsibilities".
AGMI issued a special postcard with limited edition dedicated to the
140th anniversary of Krafft-Bonnard.