Sudden death of Pierre du Bois – A Tribute

This Pully resident, specialist in Swiss and European history, was a Professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva.

He had a generous smile which immediately aroused empathy, and a look which expressed his appetite for life. The sudden death of Pully resident, Pierre du Bois, Professor of International History and Politics at the Graduate Institute of International Studies (HEI) in Geneva, came as a shock to all those who knew and loved him. He died last Saturday, just after returning home from the swimming pool in Pully, where he and his wife Irina loved to swim.

Distinguished, with a vast knowledge, always ready for intellectual debate, Pierre du Bois was a specialist in 20th century Europe. His interest in Swiss history led him to write outstanding works on the Sonderbund war, the relations between German- and French-speaking Switzerland, Switzerland and the European challenge.

Originally from Neuchâtel, Pierre du Bois grew up in Pully. He received two Masters (Arts and Political Science) from the University of Lausanne. Author of a PhD on Drieu la Rochelle, he taught at the Gymnase de Chamblandes, before being nominated professor at the Institut d'études européennes de l'Université de Genève then at HEI. Pierre du Bois was chairman of Rencontres Suisses. He was also librarian for the Cercle littéraire of Lausanne. Passionate, he was well known beyond our borders. At the age of 64, Pierre du Bois, who had made a vow to teach until 2010, was still toying with many projects
 

Francine Brunschwig
24 Heures, 27 June 2007