The International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for the efforts to take care of wounded soldiers and prisoners of war and their families during World War I.

Full name: International Committee of the Red Cross
Native name: Comité international de la Croix Rouge
Founded: 1863, in Geneva, Switzerland
Date awarded: 10 December 1917

Dunant’s ideas live on

The International Committee of the Red Cross was founded on the initiative of Henry Dunant (Switzerland), 1901 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Then, as now, the organisation consisted only of Swiss citizens, and its main purpose was to safeguard the principles of the Geneva Convention of 1864. Its insignia – a red cross on a white field – symbolizes protection for friend and foe alike. One by one, nations adopted the Geneva Convention and established national Red Cross committees. The leadership of the ICRC gained widespread recognition, even though the organisation did not have an international mandate. When WWI broke out in 1914, the ICRC assumed the daunting task of not only ensuring compliance with the Geneva Convention, but also working to safeguard the rights of prisoners of war.

Guardian of the Geneva Convention

During WWI, the ICRC continually sent appeals and protests to the warring nations, demanding that the Geneva Convention rules be observed. Medical personnel taken prisoner were to be immediately returned to their division or home country. The Committee also protested the torpedo attacks against hospital ships. The ICRC was lauded for successfully arranging the exchange of seriously wounded soldiers through Switzerland, and for its efforts to give special priority given to men with families.

Aid to prisoners of war

During WWI, the care of prisoners of war lay outside the scope of the Geneva Convention, but the ICRC established an office in Geneva to assist them nevertheless. One important task was to gather information about the prisoners and send it to their next of kin. The office sent direct inquiries to camp commanders and heads of field hospitals. By the spring of 1917, thousands of Red Cross volunteers had sent overcommuniqués to families in the warring countries.

Progress

The ICRC was gradually strengthened after 1864. More and more states ratified the Geneva Convention of 1864, which from 1906 also included war at sea, and the Committee in Switzerland had authority over the national Red Cross organisations. From 1869, the ICRC published the journal Bulletin, with news from the national organisations. The Red Cross participated in several operations before WWI; during the German-French war of 1870-1871 and the Balkan wars of 1912-1913. In 1908, emergency help was given for the earthquake at Messina, Italy, where over 100,000 people lost their lives.

Learn more

History of International Committee of the Red Cross

Read the history of the Red Cross.

The Red Cross: three-time recipient of the peace prize

Read more about the work of Henry Dunant and the founding of the Red Cross.

Play a game!

The Red Cross Movement

The Prisoners of War Game

Can people behave as they like during times of war? No, they can't. In this game, your mission as a camp commander is to run a prisoner of war camp without violating any human rights. You must follow the humanitarian standards outlined in the Third Geneva Convention. Have a try!

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