The International Committee of the Red Cross is a non-governmental humanitarian organization with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It was established in 1863, “for the betterment of the conditions of the wounded and sick in armed forces in the field.” Members of the Red Cross were granted access to injured and sick soldiers behind battle lines, without threat of attack by any party to a battle. During World War II, the Red Cross was permitted by international treaty to care for fallen soldiers on land and at sea, and to assure that prisoners of war were being treated in accordance with the terms of the Geneva Convention.
During World War II, Red Cross units and camps were located throughout Europe. However, its members did not play an active role in assisting civilian victims of the Germans, such as the Jews and Gypsies, until late in the war. The Red Cross had not received an international mandate to assist civilian war victims, and its leaders claimed that to intervene in German civilian matters would jeopardize its access to German-held prisoners of war. The Red Cross did not act on behalf of the Jews of Europe until the German Army was in full retreat in 1944. Following the war, the humanitarian mission of the Red Cross was expanded to include all victims of wars and of natural disasters.
