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Alexandre Hay (29 October 1919 – 23 August 1991) was a Swiss lawyer. From 1966 to 1976 he was Vice President of the Board of the
In 1975, Hay became a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). A year later, on 1 July 1976, he took over as president of the committee, succeeding Eric Martin. By the end of the year, he shared the presidency with Roger Gallopin, the president of the Assembly Council, before he took over this function.
During his eleven years as president the budget increased from 50 million to 250 million CHF and the number of staff and delegates tripled. This was partially due to the steady increase in the number and duration of armed conflicts.
During his tenure, 250,000 refugees were removed from Cambodia by the Thai government. Increasingly, governments began ignoring their commitments under the Geneva Conventions and others. From 1980 to 1988, chemical weapons were deployed in fighting during the
Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement History - Alexandre Hay
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hay, Alexandre 1919 births 1991 deaths Red Cross personnel People from Bern Swiss bankers Honorary companions of the Order of Australia 20th-century Swiss lawyers
Alexandre Hay (29 October 1919 – 23 August 1991) was a Swiss lawyer. From 1966 to 1976 he was Vice President of the Board of the Swiss National Bank
The Swiss National Bank (SNB; ; ; ; ) is the central bank of Switzerland, responsible for the nation's monetary policy and the sole issuer of Swiss franc banknotes. The primary goal of its mandate is to ensure price stability, while taking econ ...
. Later, from 1976 to 1987 he was President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...
(ICRC).
Biography
Hay was born on 29 October 1919 to Frédérik and Lydia Hay-Trachsler inBern
Bern (), or Berne (), ; ; ; . is the ''de facto'' Capital city, capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".; ; ; . According to the Swiss constitution, the Swiss Confederation intentionally has no "capital", but Bern has gov ...
. The majority of his youth was spent in the politically tense pre-war climate of Geneva
Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
. There he studied law at the College of Geneva and passed the bar exam in 1944. From 1942 to 1945 he worked as a lawyer in Geneva.
In 1945 Hay went to work for the consular service of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs
The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA, , , , ), so named since 1979, is one of the seven Departments of the Swiss government federal administration of Switzerland, and corresponds in its range of tasks to the ministry of foreign affa ...
in Paris. A year later he was appointed Attaché de légation. Then in 1948 he was promoted to Class II Secretary of Legation making him responsible for Swiss economic and financial interests in France.
In 1952 became an executive member of the European Payments Union. A year later he became department head for the Zurich branch of the Swiss National Bank. From 1955 to 1966 he was director and assistant director of the department of the Second Bank of Bern. From 1966 to 1976 he was vice president and general manager of the executive board of the bank.
Hay was married in 1945 to Hélène Morin of France. They had two sons and two daughters. After the death of his wife in 1973 he married a second time, to Verena Vogler in 1980.
ICRC Presidency
In 1975, Hay became a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). A year later, on 1 July 1976, he took over as president of the committee, succeeding Eric Martin. By the end of the year, he shared the presidency with Roger Gallopin, the president of the Assembly Council, before he took over this function.
During his eleven years as president the budget increased from 50 million to 250 million CHF and the number of staff and delegates tripled. This was partially due to the steady increase in the number and duration of armed conflicts.
During his tenure, 250,000 refugees were removed from Cambodia by the Thai government. Increasingly, governments began ignoring their commitments under the Geneva Conventions and others. From 1980 to 1988, chemical weapons were deployed in fighting during the Iran–Iraq War
The Iran–Iraq War, also known as the First Gulf War, was an armed conflict between Iran and Iraq that lasted from September 1980 to August 1988. Active hostilities began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran and lasted for nearly eight years, unti ...
in violation of their commitment under the Geneva Conventions. Hay repeatedly protested against these violations but with no significant result.
Hay was especially concerned with establishing good relations between the ICRC and various Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world.
His successor was Cornelio Sommaruga who took over in 1987 but Hay remained a member of the ICRC until 1989.
Awards
*Honorary doctorate from the University of St. Gallen *Honorary doctorate from theUniversity of Geneva
The University of Geneva (French: ''Université de Genève'') is a public university, public research university located in Geneva, Switzerland. It was founded in 1559 by French theologian John Calvin as a Theology, theological seminary. It rema ...
*In 1990 he was appointed an honorary Companion of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...
, "for eminent service to humanity at large".
References
Further reading
* Georges-André Chevallaz, Alexandre Hay, Gaston Gaudard: ''Helvetische Perspektiven: 1291 - 1991.'' Ed. Libertas, Biel 1989 * Alexandre Hay: ''Die Tätigkeit der OCDE.'' Verband Schweizerischer Holding- und Finanzgesellschaften, Zürich 1962 * Caroline Moorehead: ''Dunant's dream: War, Switzerland and the history of the Red Cross.'' HarperCollins, London 1998, (Hardcover); HarperCollins, London 1999, (Paperback)External links
*Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement History - Alexandre Hay
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hay, Alexandre 1919 births 1991 deaths Red Cross personnel People from Bern Swiss bankers Honorary companions of the Order of Australia 20th-century Swiss lawyers