Hector Hodler

Hector Hodler, born on October 1, 1887, was a prominent Swiss journalist and esperantist who played a pivotal role in the early Esperanto movement. As the son of renowned painter Ferdinand Hodler and Augustine Dupin, he experienced a life marked by both privilege and the challenges of his father's earlier poverty. At the age of sixteen, he discovered Esperanto alongside his classmate Edmond Privat, leading to the establishment of a club and the journal Juna Esperantisto, which served as their editorial office for five years.

In 1906, during the second World Congress of Esperanto, Hodler recognized an opportunity to implement his vision of fostering mutual support among individuals of goodwill. This vision laid the groundwork for the Universal Esperanto Association (UEA), co-founded by Hodler in 1908, where he served as General Director and Vice-President. His editorial leadership of the Esperanto magazine began in 1907, transforming it into a significant platform for discussing organizational matters and social issues within the Esperanto community.

Hodler's commitment to the Esperanto cause extended beyond mere language promotion; he was deeply invested in social questions, pacifism, and animal protection. His efforts during World War I included organizing wartime assistance through the UEA. Following the death of Harold Bolingbroke Mudie in 1916, Hodler was elected president of the World Esperanto Association, further solidifying his influence in the movement.

In his later years, despite declining health, Hodler focused on scientific inquiries, culminating in a comprehensive work on peaceful organization among peoples. Upon his passing in 1920, he bequeathed his library and the magazine Esperanto to the UEA, along with a substantial sum of money to ensure their future. He is interred at the cemetery of Saint George in Geneva, resting beside his father.