Bismarck-Georges Lacour-Gayet

Lay Down Your Arms, originally titled Die Waffen Nieder, is a captivating fictional autobiography that paints the horrors of four wars through the eyes of a soldiers wife. This globally-acclaimed book is considered a cornerstone of the peace movements we see today. Its author, von Suttner, was a notable candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize since its inception, according to Alfred Nobel himself. She predicted the advent of the First World War and tirelessly campaigned against it, but tragically passed away before it began. Her final words, passed on by close friend and fellow Nobel laureate Alfred Fried, echoed the title of her book and a heartfelt plea Die Waffen nieder! Sag’s vielen... vielen“ “Lay down the arms! Tell it to many... many”. As a work of fiction, the book is extraordinary, but its relevance to the Society with which I am connected, and its commentary on war and the state of Europe, make it even more compelling. It provides an intimate insight into the horrors of war, the grief and anxiety of non-combatants, and the constant threat of recurring calamities that haunt our Continental brethren.