La Fontaine, Henri

(1854-1943)

   Henri La Fontaine was born in Brussels on 22 April 1854. A lawyer active in promoting pacifism, he taught international law at the Université libre de Bruxelles. He founded, together with Paul Otlet, two international organizations—the Institut international de Bibliographie (1895) and the Office central des Associations internationales (1910), the precursor to the Union of International Associations. In 1913, La Fontaine was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He died in Brussels on 14 May 1943.