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Hans Ruesch
Hans Ruesch, Swiss Medical Historian, began his literary career in Italian and
German. By 1940 he was living in the
U.S.A. writing short stories in English for Redbook Magazine,
Colliers, Saturday Evening Post and Esquire. Ruesch's
magnificently researched novels were later published in ten languages,
best-sellers, and some were adapted for films. With an international reputation
and acclaim in literary circles Ruesch turned his attention to the investigation
of vivisection to which he applied the same ruthless and exhaustive research
that he had given to the polar regions for his classic Top of the World
(which sold 3 million copies) and to the Arabian Peninsular for his breathtaking
and unforgettable The Great Thirst (or The Arab).
Shocked by what he discovered, in 1974 Ruesch founded his own CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON VIVISECTION, a publishing house dedicated exclusively to the fight against vivisection, from which he despatches regular Foundation Reports in many languages. In 1979 Ruesch's Slaughter of the Innocent was the breakthrough which altered the whole concept and course of the 'anti-vivisection movement'. Revealing that vivisection is not merely a question of cruelty to animals, but also the vital international alibi which paves the way, through fraud and conspiracy, to solid-gold profits, in Great Britain Slaughter of the Innocent lasted a few short weeks before being banned from the shelves. Abandoning his lucrative literary career Ruesch pledged to devote the remainder of his life to this cause. He has been highly successful, not only in becoming the recognised father of the new abolitionist movement, but for his many subsequent powerful works on the subject.
In 1985 Ruesch was a key figure in the Swiss Referendum Against Vivisection, when on December 18 of that year a third of the Swiss population voted in favour of abolition. In October 1987 he helped launch the first ever INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE OF DOCTORS AGAINST VIVISECTION of which he was made Honorary President. The world's most sought after exponent of abolition Ruesch undertakes a gruelling lecture circuit, debates with adversaries at symposia, addresses international congresses and is a well-known figure on European and American radio and television. He is the draw-card which leads marches and addresses rallies, always dispensing the facts as they are. Many organisations worldwide have been formed to support Hans Ruesch, whose name and rightly so, since we and future generations are in his debt, is already carved in history.