Those Geneva conventions are intergovernmental agreements and an important component of humanitarian international law. They contain rules for the protection of persons, who do not participate in the fighting of an armed conflict for the case. The regulations of the four conventions of 1949 concern the wounded ones and patients of the armed forces in the field (Geneva agreements I), which wounded, patients and shipwrecked ones of the armed forces to sea (Geneva agreements II), the prisoners of war (Geneva agreements III) and the civilians in times of war (Geneva agreements IV).

1864 were accepted by twelve States of the first Geneva convention "concerning the Linderung of the lot in active service wounded military personnels ". Out historical view second agreements was the present third Geneva convention, which was decided in the year 1929. Together with two new agreements both conventions 1949 were revised. These versions came into force one year later and represent the up-to-date valid versions. It 1977 supplemental by two supplementary protocols, which for the first time rules integrate Geneva conventions to handling Kombattanten into the context that. 2005 were decided a third supplementary protocol for the introduction of an additional protection character.

Depositarstaat that Geneva conventions is Switzerland, Contracting Parties can only states become. At present 192 countries signed those Geneva agreements of 1949 and 163 and/or 159 States of the supplementary protocols I and II of 1977. The only explicitly control organ designated in humanitarian international law is the international committee of the red cross (IKRK).

Historical information

The IKRK and the development that Geneva conventions

The beginning 1864

The development that Geneva conventions is closely connected with the history of the international committee of the red cross (IKRK). Those Geneva conventions, like also the IKRK, have their origin in the experiences Geneva businessman of the Henry Dunant after the battle of Solferino on 24 June 1859, which it published 1862 in a book with the title "a memory of Solferino ". Apart from the description of its experiences the book contained suggestions on the establishment of freiwilligen auxiliary companies as well as to the protection and on the supply of wounded one and patient in the war. The conversion of Dunants suggestions led 1863 to the establishment international committee of the auxiliary companies for the wounding care, which carries the name international committee of the red cross since 1876, and 1864 in the context of a diplomatic conference for the conclusion of the first Geneva convention by twelve European states, bathing, Belgium, Denmark, France, Hessen, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Prussia, Switzerland, Spain and Still in the December of the same yearly the Scandinavian countries Norway and Sweden were added. The article 7 of this convention defined an indication, which became the named-giving symbol of the movement developed again for the marking of the persons and mechanisms standing under their protection: the red cross on white reason. That had substantial portion of the elaboration of the convention Geneva lawyer Gustave Moynier, which as a chairman that had 1863 Geneva non-profit society the establishment of the international committee lively.

Why it already came in relative to short time to publication of the book the Verabschiedung and in the subsequent years to the rapid propagation of the convention, is historically not completely comprehensible. It can be accepted that in many countries among politicians and military the opinion was far common at that time that the near future would bring a set of unavoidable wars. This position was based on at this time the generally accepted ius ad bellum ("right to lead war "), which saw war as a legitimate means for the solution of intergovernmental conflicts. Behind the acceptance of Dunants suggestions therefore the thought may have confessed the fact that one adjusts the inevitable at least and "humanisieren "should. On the other hand the very direct and detailed description possibly led prominent persons for the first time in Dunants book to unite in Europe the reality of a war before eyes. To third developed or consolidated in the decades after the establishment of the international committee and the Verabschiedung of the convention a set of national states in Europe. The national Red Cross Societies developing thereby worked in this connection also identity-donating. They attained often within short time a broad member basis and of most states also as link between state and an army on the one and the population on the other side were generously promoted.

To the Erstunterzeichnern did not belong among other things the united kingdom, which had participated in the conference of 1864, but only, as well as Russia, which signed 1867 the convention, joined 1865 of the convention. The statement of a British delegated one is delivered during the conference, it can without a seal the convention not sign. Guillaume Henri Dufour, general of Swiss army, member of the international committee and chairman of the conference, cut it thereupon with its Taschenmesser a button of the Tunika and ", your Excellency presented here him to the delegated one with the words, has you the coat of arms of your majesty " . Austria joined the convention on 21 July 1866, 1871 created German ones the Reich on 12 June 1906. Important forerunner states had become however a Contracting Party already before, beside that already as Erstunterzeichnern for example Bavaria specified at 30 June and Saxonia on 25 October 1866. The USA, which had likewise been represented to the conference, had in particular due to the Monroe doctrine long time large reservations and joined the convention only 1882. Thereby the work of Clara bar clay/tone, the foundress of the American red cross had large influence. Altogether the convention in the course of its history was signed by 57 states, of it 36 within the first 25 years from 1864 to 1889. As last state stepped on 3 August 1907, and thus only six days before the entry into force of the revised version of 1906, Ecuador of the convention of 1864.

Articles in category "Geneva conventions"

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