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Prof. Sir Joseph Rotblat F.R.S.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Sir Joseph Rotblat, the founder and principal motivator of the Pugwash organisation, died on August 31st, 2005, aged 96. Sir Joseph had participated in the Manhattan project because he believed that the only way to stop the Nazis
using an atomic bomb was for the allies to own one of their own and threaten retaliation. He resigned from the project in 1944 as a matter of conscience, as soon as it became apparent that Germany was not going to be able to make a bomb,
and was horrified when he learned that a bomb had been used at Hiroshima. He devoted the rest of his life to radiation medicine and to the abolition of nuclear weapons and of war itself.
Professor Rotblat was a signatory of the Russell/Einstein Manifesto (1955), telling the world to "Remember your humanity". The Pugwash organisation grew out of a meeting in Pugwash, Nova Scotia in 1957, involving scientists from both sides of the Iron Curtain. There has been at least one meeting, together with several workshops on specialist topics, every year since. The individuals who attend Pugwash meetings come as individuals, not as representatives of Governments or organisations. Pugwash's reputation is based on impeccable science and the absence of political bias: although little known to the public, it came to be trusted by Governments, and was responsible for the groundwork behind a number of important treaties, including the Partial Test-Ban Treaty (1963). the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (1968), the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and both the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions (1972, 1993). Under Sir Joseph's guidance, it was able to act as mediator in a number of disputes or wars, including the USA/Vietnam war. President Gorbachev attributed the success of his disarmament initiatives in part to Pugwash.
In the last few years Professor Rotblat started a campaign, in cooperation with other peace organisations, to increase public awareness that the danger of nuclear war is not only still with us, but is increasing. He also inspired Bruce Kent to found the Movement for the Abolition of War.
It is doubtful if any of this would have come about without the personal inspiration and dedication of Professor Rotblat. He will be remembered by all who met him for his personal warmth and for his tireless dedication and enthusiasm for
the promotion of a war-free world. Those who would like to make a personal tribute can do so by making a donation to the archiving of his papers (Pugwash, 63A Great Russell St (Ground Floor Flat), WC1B 3BJ).
