Hans Rüesch
Encyclopedia
Hans Ruesch was a Swiss racing driver, a novelist, and an internationally prominent activist against animal experiments and vivisection
.
to an Italian-speaking Swiss mother and a German-speaking Swiss father. He lived the first 14 years of his life in Naples, where his father was a textile industrialist and a specialist in Pompeian Art. Ruesch attended boarding school in Switzerland
. He then studied Law at the University of Zurich
but dropped out in 1932 to join the racing circuit.
After World War II
, in 1946, Ruesch left the United States
and returned to Naples. He married Maria Luisa de la Feld in 1949. They separated in the early 1970s and Maria Luisa died in 2006. Hans Ruesch died of cancer at his home in Lugano
, Switzerland. He was 94. He is survived by his daughter, Vivian Ruesch Mellon of Manhattan
, his sons, Hans Jr. Ruesch and Peter Ruesch, of Switzerland, and five grandchildren, Diana Mellon, Angela Mellon, Sarah Mellon, Jessica Ruesch and Gina Ruesch.
and Maserati
racing and sports cars at many smaller events throughout Europe. Ruesch drove a Maserati 8CM 1934 and a Maserati 4CS in 1935 and 1936, followed by an Alfa Romeo GP car in 1936 and 1937. He also took part in the 1937 South Africa series. He competed in more than 100 races in Europe and South Africa, winning 27 races. During the early fifties, he drove a Ferrari 4.1-litre MM sports car.
, 1953), and South of the Heart: A Novel of Modern Arabia (Coward-McCann, 1957).
In The New York Times Book Review
review of Top of the World, Max Eastman
called Mr. Ruesch "a born storyteller," and the novel is "a brilliant feat of poetic imagination." Ironically, Hans Ruesch had never seen an Eskimo
. He based his story on the Oscar-winning film Eskimo (1933), directed by W.S. van Dyke.
Director Nicholas Ray
wrote the screenplay for the movie of Ruesch’s novel, Top of the World. It debuted in Europe under the name, Les Dents du Diable. In 1961, it was released in the United States as The Savage Innocents
. Anthony Quinn
starred as Inuk, an Inuit
Eskimo, who has had little contact with white men. At a trading post, Inuk accidentally kills a missionary, who insulted him by refusing the traditional Inuit (sexual) hospitality of wife-sharing. Inuk is pursued by a Javert
-like police trooper, Peter O’Toole, in his first movie role. Mr. O'Toole refused to be credited with this movie, because his voice was dubbed. This movie was nominated for the Golden Palm award
at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival
.
Drawing on his experiences in European auto racing, Ruesch wrote the novel The Racer. It was released as the film The Racers
(1955). Kirk Douglas
starred as Gino Borgesa, a reckless Formula One driver, ensnared by speed, adrenaline, and a Hollywood '50s romance. The movie was shot at several classic circuits, including Monaco
, the Nürburgring
, the Mille Miglia
, and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
, with the climactic race at Reims-Gueux
.
and other forms of animal testing
. An animal lover since his childhood, he became an activist against animal testing, while living in Rome. Ruesch did not believe that medical research could benefit by using such methods. Instead, Ruesch insisted that medicine was led dangerously astray by what he saw as pseudo-science, and a fatally false methodology. He argued that rabbits, mice, rats and other animals are not anatomically and physiologically similar to humans and drew upon numerous statements from doctors and researchers in support of his stance (see his work, 1,000 Doctors and More Against Vivisection). Therefore, such animal testing cannot reliably predict physiological reactions in humans. In 1974, he founded the Center for Scientific Information on Vivisection (CIVIS) and devoted the rest of his life to the abolition of vivisection.
In the 1970s, Ruesch started writing exposés of the animal testing and research industry. He wrote the Slaughter of the Innocent (Bantam, 1978) and the Naked Empress, or The Great Medical Fraud, as well as publishing "The International Foundation Report Dedicated to the Abolition of Vivisection." Slaughter of the Innocent (Civitas Publications, 1983) is credited with promoting and strengthening the animal-rights movement in the U.S. and abroad.
There is potential confusion concerning Ruesch's first two books denouncing vivisection. His first book on the subject was written and published in European countries with a title in each language that would translate into English as "The Naked Empress." (Ruesch was multilingual, and he wrote the translations himself.) When this same work was to be published in England, the title was changed, at the publisher's request, to "Slaughter of the Innocent", and that is the title used when the book was subsequently issued (by Civitas) in the United States. Some years later, Ruesch wrote a second book criticising vivisection, in English, which was released (again, by Civitas) in the United States, with the title "The Naked Empress, or the Great Medical Fraud". Whereas the first book focused on vivisection as a barbaric and unscientific means of obtaining medical knowledge, the second book focused on the profit motives of the medical-pharmaceutical industry in perpetuating vivisection. To summarise, the book known by the English title "The Naked Empress" is a different book to the one published earlier in Europe with that same title in other languages but known in English as "Slaughter of the Innocent". (This information is provided by the original organiser of Civitas.)
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
.
Family
Ruesch was born in NaplesNaples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
to an Italian-speaking Swiss mother and a German-speaking Swiss father. He lived the first 14 years of his life in Naples, where his father was a textile industrialist and a specialist in Pompeian Art. Ruesch attended boarding school in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. He then studied Law at the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
but dropped out in 1932 to join the racing circuit.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, in 1946, Ruesch left the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and returned to Naples. He married Maria Luisa de la Feld in 1949. They separated in the early 1970s and Maria Luisa died in 2006. Hans Ruesch died of cancer at his home in Lugano
Lugano
Lugano is a city of inhabitants in the city proper and a total of over 145,000 people in the agglomeration/city region, in the south of Switzerland, in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino, which borders Italy...
, Switzerland. He was 94. He is survived by his daughter, Vivian Ruesch Mellon of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, his sons, Hans Jr. Ruesch and Peter Ruesch, of Switzerland, and five grandchildren, Diana Mellon, Angela Mellon, Sarah Mellon, Jessica Ruesch and Gina Ruesch.
Racing career
He began racing in 1932 with MG at the Klausenrennen when he was 19. During the 1930s, he drove several Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
and Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
racing and sports cars at many smaller events throughout Europe. Ruesch drove a Maserati 8CM 1934 and a Maserati 4CS in 1935 and 1936, followed by an Alfa Romeo GP car in 1936 and 1937. He also took part in the 1937 South Africa series. He competed in more than 100 races in Europe and South Africa, winning 27 races. During the early fifties, he drove a Ferrari 4.1-litre MM sports car.
Writing and film career
In the late 1930s, Ruesch moved to the United States, publishing short fiction in popular magazines. In 1946, he returned to Naples to continue writing. His most popular novels include Top of the World (Harper, 1950), The Racer (BallantineBallantine Books
Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...
, 1953), and South of the Heart: A Novel of Modern Arabia (Coward-McCann, 1957).
In The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
review of Top of the World, Max Eastman
Max Eastman
Max Forrester Eastman was an American writer on literature, philosophy and society, a poet, and a prominent political activist. For many years, Eastman was a supporter of socialism, a leading patron of the Harlem Renaissance and an activist for a number of liberal and radical causes...
called Mr. Ruesch "a born storyteller," and the novel is "a brilliant feat of poetic imagination." Ironically, Hans Ruesch had never seen an Eskimo
Eskimo
Eskimos or Inuit–Yupik peoples are indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the circumpolar region from eastern Siberia , across Alaska , Canada, and Greenland....
. He based his story on the Oscar-winning film Eskimo (1933), directed by W.S. van Dyke.
Director Nicholas Ray
Nicholas Ray
Nicholas Ray was an American film director best known for the movie Rebel Without a Cause....
wrote the screenplay for the movie of Ruesch’s novel, Top of the World. It debuted in Europe under the name, Les Dents du Diable. In 1961, it was released in the United States as The Savage Innocents
The Savage Innocents
The Savage Innocents is a 1960 film, adapted from the novel Top of the World by Swiss writer Hans Rüesch.The screenplay was mainly written by its director, Nicholas Ray, who shot the film in the Canadian Arctic...
. Anthony Quinn
Anthony Quinn
Antonio Rodolfo Quinn-Oaxaca , more commonly known as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican American actor, as well as a painter and writer...
starred as Inuk, an Inuit
Inuit
The Inuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Canada , Denmark , Russia and the United States . Inuit means “the people” in the Inuktitut language...
Eskimo, who has had little contact with white men. At a trading post, Inuk accidentally kills a missionary, who insulted him by refusing the traditional Inuit (sexual) hospitality of wife-sharing. Inuk is pursued by a Javert
Javert
Javert is a fictional character from the novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. He is a prison guard, and later policeman, who devotes his life to the law. He is always referred to just simply as "Javert" or "Inspector Javert" by the narrator and other characters throughout the novel; his first name...
-like police trooper, Peter O’Toole, in his first movie role. Mr. O'Toole refused to be credited with this movie, because his voice was dubbed. This movie was nominated for the Golden Palm award
Palme d'Or
The Palme d'Or is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival and is presented to the director of the best feature film of the official competition. It was introduced in 1955 by the organising committee. From 1939 to 1954, the highest prize was the Grand Prix du Festival International du...
at the 1960 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
.
Drawing on his experiences in European auto racing, Ruesch wrote the novel The Racer. It was released as the film The Racers
The Racers
The Racers is a 1955 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars Kirk Douglas and Bella Darvi. -Cast:*Kirk Douglas as Gino Borgesa*Bella Darvi as Nicole*Gilbert Roland as Dell'Orro*Cesar Romero as Carlos Chavez*Lee J. Cobb as Maglio...
(1955). Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
starred as Gino Borgesa, a reckless Formula One driver, ensnared by speed, adrenaline, and a Hollywood '50s romance. The movie was shot at several classic circuits, including Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, the Nürburgring
Nürburgring
The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, the Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
, and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its...
, with the climactic race at Reims-Gueux
Reims-Gueux
Reims-Gueux was a triangular motor racing road course near Reims, France, which hosted 14 French Grands Prix.Reims-Gueux was first established in 1926 on the public roads between the small French villages of Thillois and Gueux. The circuit had two very long straights between the towns, and teams...
.
Activism career
Ruesch was internationally known as an outspoken advocate against vivisectionVivisection
Vivisection is defined as surgery conducted for experimental purposes on a living organism, typically animals with a central nervous system, to view living internal structure...
and other forms of animal testing
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
. An animal lover since his childhood, he became an activist against animal testing, while living in Rome. Ruesch did not believe that medical research could benefit by using such methods. Instead, Ruesch insisted that medicine was led dangerously astray by what he saw as pseudo-science, and a fatally false methodology. He argued that rabbits, mice, rats and other animals are not anatomically and physiologically similar to humans and drew upon numerous statements from doctors and researchers in support of his stance (see his work, 1,000 Doctors and More Against Vivisection). Therefore, such animal testing cannot reliably predict physiological reactions in humans. In 1974, he founded the Center for Scientific Information on Vivisection (CIVIS) and devoted the rest of his life to the abolition of vivisection.
In the 1970s, Ruesch started writing exposés of the animal testing and research industry. He wrote the Slaughter of the Innocent (Bantam, 1978) and the Naked Empress, or The Great Medical Fraud, as well as publishing "The International Foundation Report Dedicated to the Abolition of Vivisection." Slaughter of the Innocent (Civitas Publications, 1983) is credited with promoting and strengthening the animal-rights movement in the U.S. and abroad.
There is potential confusion concerning Ruesch's first two books denouncing vivisection. His first book on the subject was written and published in European countries with a title in each language that would translate into English as "The Naked Empress." (Ruesch was multilingual, and he wrote the translations himself.) When this same work was to be published in England, the title was changed, at the publisher's request, to "Slaughter of the Innocent", and that is the title used when the book was subsequently issued (by Civitas) in the United States. Some years later, Ruesch wrote a second book criticising vivisection, in English, which was released (again, by Civitas) in the United States, with the title "The Naked Empress, or the Great Medical Fraud". Whereas the first book focused on vivisection as a barbaric and unscientific means of obtaining medical knowledge, the second book focused on the profit motives of the medical-pharmaceutical industry in perpetuating vivisection. To summarise, the book known by the English title "The Naked Empress" is a different book to the one published earlier in Europe with that same title in other languages but known in English as "Slaughter of the Innocent". (This information is provided by the original organiser of Civitas.)
Selective bibliography
- Top of the World (1950) (ISBN 999755602X)
- The Racer (1953)
- South of the Heart: A Novel of Modern Arabia / The Great Thirst / The Arab (1957)
- The Game (1961)
- The Stealers (1962)
- Make a Fortune (1967)
- Back to the Top of the World (1974) (ISBN 0450021084)
- Slaughter of the Innocent (1978) (ISBN 0553111515)
- Naked Empress, or the Great Medical Fraud (1982) (ISBN 0686402332)
Filmography
- The RacersThe RacersThe Racers is a 1955 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars Kirk Douglas and Bella Darvi. -Cast:*Kirk Douglas as Gino Borgesa*Bella Darvi as Nicole*Gilbert Roland as Dell'Orro*Cesar Romero as Carlos Chavez*Lee J. Cobb as Maglio...
(1955)- as Such Men Are Dangerous (UK)
- "The 20th Century-Fox Hour" (1 episode, 1956)
- Fox Hour of Stars (USA: rerun title) - Men Against Speed (1956) TV Episode based on the novel The Racer
- The Savage InnocentsThe Savage InnocentsThe Savage Innocents is a 1960 film, adapted from the novel Top of the World by Swiss writer Hans Rüesch.The screenplay was mainly written by its director, Nicholas Ray, who shot the film in the Canadian Arctic...
(1960) based on the novel Top of the World - Black GoldBlack Gold (2012 film)Black Gold is an upcoming epic drama film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and Produced by Tarak Ben Ammar Chairman of Quinta Communications and Co-produced by Doha Film Institute, Qatar...
(2012) based on the novel South of the Heart: A Novel of Modern Arabia / The Great Thirst / The Arab
External links
- Obituary in The Times
- Racing Bio
- Homepage (Italian language)
- Schweizer Autor und Pharmakritiker gestorben (German language; "author and pharmaceutical critic")