February 19,
1833 - December 7,
1906
Elie Ducommun recieved the Nobel Peace Prize in 1902 for his work in organizing and directing the International Bureau of Peace, and carrying out its purpose of uniting the many different peace societies around the world.
Elie was born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, the son of a clockmaker. He completed his early studies in Geneva and after finishing, took a job as a tutor for a wealthy family in Saxony. After three years, he returned to Geneva and taught in the public schools there, and then after two years began his journalisting career as an editor for the political publication Revue de Genève.
He published a large body of work on politics and peace, but he was also a man of great politican influence. In Bern he was a member of the Grand Council for ten years; in Geneva, he was a member of the Grand Council for nine years, becoming vice-chancellor in 1857 and chancellor of state of Geneva in 1862.
In 1875 to 1903, he worked as a secretary-general for the Jura-Bern-Lucerne railroad. Meanwhile he continued his work for peace, most notably in 1890 when he began the work that would eventually earn him the Nobel Prize.
For a more detailed biography, visit http://www.nobel.se/peace/laureates/1902/ducommun-bio.html
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