Bajer, << BY uhr, >> Fredrik (1837-1922), a Danish pacifist, helped to found the International Peace Bureau (IPB) in Berlin in 1891 and served as its president from its foundation until 1907 (see International Peace Bureau (IPB) ). The aim of the IPB is to serve the cause of peace by encouraging international cooperation, and the prevention–or nonviolent resolution–of international disputes and conflicts. He received the 1908 Nobel Prize for peace for his work with the Peace Bureau, and shared the prize with Klas Arnoldson (see Arnoldson, Klas Pontus ).
Bajer believed in neutrality as the best way of ensuring peace in the Scandinavian countries. In 1870, he established the Nordisk Fristats Samfund (Society of Nordic Free States) to promote Nordic unity and cooperation. In 1882, under the influence of the French pacifist Frederic Passy, Bajer helped to found the first Danish peace society, Foreningen til Danmarks Neutralisering (Society for the Promotion of Danish Neutrality). This later developed into the Danish Peace and League of Nations Society. Bajer was also a leading spokesman for women’s rights and was among the founders of the Dansk Kvindesamfund (Danish Women’s Association). See Passy, Frederic .
Bajer was born at Vester Egede, Denmark. In 1856, he enrolled for two years at a military school. In 1856, he joined the Dragoons, a mounted infantry unit, with whom he served until 1865. During this period, he took two years out from 1860 to 1862 to study at a second military school. In 1865, he was discharged from the army. Afterwards, he resumed his studies and learned French, Norwegian, and Swedish. He worked as a teacher and translator in Copenhagen. In 1872, he entered politics and was elected to the Folketing (Danish parliament), where he served for 23 years.
