Home Map E-mail
 
Eng |  Հայ |  Türk |   Рус  |  Fr  

Home
Main
About AGMI
Mission statement
Director's message
Contacts
Pre-Genocide Armenia
History of Armenia
Pre-Genocide photos
Intellectuals
Armenian Genocide
What is Genocide
Armenian Genocide
Chronology
Photos of Armenian Genocide
100 photographic stories
Mapping Armenian Genocide
Cultural Genocide
Remember
Documents
American
British
German
Russian
French
Austrian
Turkish

Research
Bibliography
Survivors Stories
Eye-Witnesses
Media
Quotations
Public Lectures
Recognition
States
International organizations
Provincial governments
Public petitions
AGMI Events
Delegations
Museum G-Brief
News
Conferences
Links
   Museum
Museum Info
Plan a visit
Permanent exhibition
Temporary exhibition
Online exhibition  
Traveling exhibitions  
Memorial postcards  
   Institute
Goals & Endeavors
Publications
AGMI Journals  
Library
AGMI collection
   Tsitsernakaberd Complex
Description and History
Memory alley
Remembrance day
 

Armenian General Benevolent Union
All Armenian Fund
Armenian News Agency
armin
armin
armin
armin
armin




News

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.


Here is the selected list of editions by Antony Krafft-Bonnard



















Here you can find the text in French. Click on download.




FOLLOW US



DONATE

DonateforAGMI
TO KEEP THE MEMORY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ALIVE

Special Projects Implemented by the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute Foundation

COPYRIGHT

DonateforAGMI

AGMI BOOKSTORE

1915
The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute’s “World of Books”

TESTIMONIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SURVIVORS

Testimonial
THE AGMI COLLECTION OF UNPUBLISHED MEMOIRS

ONLINE EXHIBITION

Temporary exhibition
SELF-DEFENSE IN CILICIA DURING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

DEDICATED TO THE CENTENNIAL OF THE SELF-DEFENSE BATTLES OF MARASH, HADJIN, AINTAB

LEMKIN SCHOLARSHIP

Lemkin
AGMI ANNOUNCES 2024
LEMKIN SCHOLARSHIP FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS

TRANSFER YOUR MEMORY

100photo
Share your family story, Transfer your memory to generations.
On the eve of April 24, the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute undertakes an initiative “transfer your memory”.
“AGMI” foundation
8/8 Tsitsernakaberd highway
0028, Yerevan, RA
Tel.: (+374 10) 39 09 81
    2007-2021 © The Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute     E-mail: info@genocide-museum.am