#HansRuesch

Hans Ruesch (May 17, 1913 – August 27, 2007) was a Swiss racing driver, novelist, and prominent anti-vivisection activist. Born in Naples to Swiss parents, he spent his early years in Italy before moving to Switzerland for his education. Initially studying law at the University of Zurich, Ruesch left academia in 1932 to pursue a career in motor racing. Between 1932 and 1937, Ruesch participated in over 100 international races, securing 27 victories. Notable achievements include winning the 1936 Donington Grand Prix alongside co-driver Richard "Dick" Seaman and clinching the 1937 Grand Prix of Finland, Bucharest, and the Frontières. He also set two world records, including a standing-start speed record at Montlhéry. A severe accident in 1938 led him to step away from racing temporarily. He made a brief return in 1953 but retired permanently after a tragic incident during a race in Senigallia, Italy, which resulted in a spectator's death. Transitioning to literature, Ruesch published his first novel, Gladiators, in 1937, inspired by German racing driver Rudolf Caracciola. Relocating to the United States during World War II, he began writing in English. His 1950 novel, Top of the World, depicting Inuit life, became a bestseller and was later adapted into the film The Savage Innocents (1960), directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Anthony Quinn. Another of his works, The Racer (1953), drew from his racing experiences and was adapted into the 1955 film The Racers, featuring Kirk Douglas. His 1957 novel, South of the Heart: A Novel of Modern Arabia, was the basis for the 2011 film Black Gold, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. In the 1970s, Ruesch became a vocal opponent of animal experimentation. He founded the Center for Scientific Information on Vivisection (CIVIS) in 1974 and authored several works criticizing medical practices involving animals, notably Slaughter of the Innocent (1978) and Naked Empress, or the Great Medical Fraud (1982). Ruesch passed away on August 27, 2007, in Massagno, Switzerland, at the age of 94.

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