Pierre Ceresole (born the August 17th 1879 with Lausanne and deceased the October 23rd 1945) was a Engineer Suisse. It is mainly known like pacifist, Conscientious objector, Quaker and founder of the international Civil service (SCI).

Its name spells " Ceresole" (name of Italian origin). Certain authors francized it in " Cérésole".

Biography

Pierre Ceresole was born with Lausanne on August 17th 1879. It is resulting from a Swiss family the notable ones. His/her father Paul Ceresole was high graded in the Swiss Armée, judge at the Federal court and president of the Swiss Confédération. The family counted ten children, Pierre being the last but one. His/her mother died when it was nine years old.

It made studies of engineer with Zurich, then of Mathématicien and physicist in Germany.

Between 1909 and 1914, it travels to the the United States and the Japan. It is initially compelled to work as workman, then it gives courses of French. Vis-a-vis the social injustices noted in the islands Hawaii, it decides to make gift of its fees in favor of a charitable organization. He works as of 1912 as engineer in Japan. When the First World War bursts, it decides to return to Switzerland.

During the First World War it expresses its refusal of the war publicly. It builds little by little its vision of the Christian ideal , with the practical consequences which such a choice imposes. It makes gift at the Federal council of the titles that it received in heritage. In 1915, it is deeply impressed by the refusal to serve (Conscientious objection) of the teacher of Vaud John Baudraz, and by the absence of standpoint of the Churches about it. He then refuses to pay the military Taxe (tax replacing the participation in the army, Ceresole had been released from it for health questions). That is worth to him its first judgment at one day of prison. It publishes Religion and Patriotisme where it explains the reasons of its refusal. The November 4th 1917, it is expressed at the end of the worship of the French Church of Zurich. It is a call to refuse them national idols .

Between 1915 and 1918, it still worked as engineer. Then it is engaged as French teacher.

It is invited in 1919 by Leonhard Ragaz with a meeting of pacifist Christians which takes place with Bilthoven with the Netherlands. It there discovers the international Mouvement of the Reconciliation and the Quakers and ties international contacts with men and women who as are directed to him towards a constructive action.

The action which made the international repute of Pierre Ceresole is the creation of the international Civil service (named in the first years international Voluntary civil service ). It sets up in 1920 the first camp at Esnes close to Verdun (France) with some other pacifist (Austrian German, and English, of which the Quaker Hubert Parris). In this place highly symbolic system worked with the rebuilding, for five months, of the volunteers originating in the countries which little before were made the war. In 1924 takes place the first building site of civil service in Switzerland.

Between 1926 and 1937, Pierre Ceresole shares his time between teaching with La Chaux-de-Fonds (as mathematics professor) and of many campaigns of the Civil service in various countries and in particular in India (earthquake with the Bihar, 1934-1937). There, it meets Gandhi.

Pierre Ceresole writes in 1936 a long letter of application to join to the religious Société of the Friends (Quakers). On its last return of India, in 1937, it passes by the United States and attends a world congress of the Quakers close to Philadelphia.

Before even the beginning of the Second world war, Pierre Ceresole refuses to obey a exercise of obscuration. At Easter 1940, it is expressed publicly in a church. In 1941, it reveals an internal circular staff of the Swiss army with this text: The insistent articles and comments on the horrors of the war to show of it the character inhuman, anti-Christian and antisocial, are prohibited . Twice, in 1942 then in 1944, it goes to foot to Germany. The majority of these actions are worth lawsuits and judgments with the prison to him.

The December 26th 1941, Pierre Ceresole marries Lise David, a relationship. They live a small house which dominates Lavaux. Pierre Ceresole dies on October 23rd, 1945, after several months of disease.

Quotations

The Log books of Pierre Ceresole contain many short thoughts which are the source of the following quotations (page: second edition, 1960):

• God is not in a church; a church is a closed thing. An important symbol, it is that the building is open: an immense door by where the truth can enter, always. God is in each grass bit which saw, which is beautiful; in each good and noble thought; in each right glance; in all that tends to establish the harmony between the beings or the parts of a being, art and science. God does not plane above all that, it is all that. (…) (p. 38,1912-1914)
• We have a law on the demolition of oxen to the Jewish mode; we could have some against that of the men to the Christian mode. (p. 51,1912-1914)
• To live of its revenues is also degrading to have slaves; it is the same thing, of the remainder: indirect slaves. (p. 63,1914)
• Better being with the round of applause of all the parties and everyone is worth to be accessory. (p. 71,1914)
• The only means of overcoming definitively, it is to make alliance with all that there is the best at your enemy. (p. 94,1915-1916)
• This idea to want to make triumph justice by violence will appear one day also stupid and false which torture appears to us to know the truth. (p. 106,1915-1916)

; On Pierre Ceresole

• Romain Roland: Pierre Ceresole is the highest conscience of Switzerland. These consciences there save humanity (city per H. Monastier forward of its booklet of 1947, taken again and simplified by D. Anet as a cover for the passion of peace )

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