Honoring achievements of Dr. Junod, who engaged in A-bomb relief efforts

by Kenji Namba, Senior Staff Writer

Dr. Marcel Junod (1904-1961), a Swiss national, arrived in Japan in August 1945, as chief representative to Japan of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). His mission had been to support the prisoners of the Allied Forces. But after his arrival, he learned about the catastrophic conditions in the A-bombed city. After negotiating with the General Headquarters of the Allied Forces to provide assistance, he entered Hiroshima in September with a large quantity of medical supplies, bringing aid to relief stations and other locations.

His actions, however, were not well known even among the people of Hiroshima, due to the chaotic state of the city after the atomic bombing. But after medical personnel and journalists researched Dr. Junod’s devoted efforts to aid Hiroshima and made this more widely recognized, a monument was raised in his honor in 1979, spearheaded by the Hiroshima Prefectural Medical Association.

Located in a greenbelt at the west end of Peace Bridge, south of Peace Memorial Park, the monument is 95 centimeters high and 1.5 meters wide. Made of black granite in the shape of a cross, in the center is a relief of Dr. Junod’s face and his achievements are noted in Japanese and English on the right side and left side of the monument, respectively.

The back of the monument bears the words: “Innumerable cries are asking for your help.” This quotation is from his autobiography entitled Warrior Without Weapons. Prior to his arrival in Japan, Dr. Junod was dispatched to the front lines of Ethiopia and Spain by the ICRC, where he survived the horrors of war and helped prisoners of war and others who were held captive.

On a Sunday each year, around the day Dr. Junod passed away, June 16, a ceremony is held in his honor. On this occasion, those who admire Dr. Junod’s humanitarian beliefs and carry on his legacy through action gather to remember his spirit.

(Originally published on February 20, 2012)