Monday, February 27, 2017

In memory of Pierre Spoerri (1926 - 2017)

Pierre Spoerri The CAUX-IofC Foundation is sorry to announce the passing of Pierre Spoerri, one of its former council members, in Zurich, on 22 February 2017.

Pierre Spoerri was the son of Professor Theo Spoerri, one of founding fathers of the Caux conference centre, famous for his public involvement with the Gotthard League in the 1940’s.

Pierre Spoerri, who was born in 1926, first studied medicine at the universities of Geneva and Zurich but gave up his studies to start working ‘full-time’ with Moral Rearmament in 1946. He travelled extensively Asia, the Middle East and Africa, writing, reporting for European newspapers and working with Moral Re-Armament/Initiatives of Change. Later, for many years, he and his German wife, Fulvia née von Hahn, settled down in Bonn to serve and inspire the German politicians in the spirit of further developing peacebuilding and reconciliation efforts initiated by MRA after WWII.

At the same time he and his wife were for many years among those responsible for the international conferences of Initiatives of Change in Caux, Switzerland.

His published books include Keine Zeit für Stille Zeit, Dynamik der Vergebung, Die Kunst mit dem andern zu leben (with his father, Theophil Spoerri), Rediscovering Freedom (with Dr. John Lester) and Mein Vater und sein Jüngster. And just last year, Frank Buchman and the Germans.

He will be remembered as a man of great intelligence and dedication, deeply committed to make the world a better place through the dynamics of personal and global change, and by many as an insightful mentor, example and friend.  

The Farewell Service will be Thursday 9 March, 2pm at the French Reformed Church in Zurich, Switzerland.