International humanitarian law in the context of the GRC
On this overview page, we show which aspects of international humanitarian law the German Red Cross deals with. We also provide a comprehensive collection of materials and offer a newsletter for those who are particularly interested.
Mission
The German Red Cross is one of the world’s 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Together with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), they comprise of the world’s largest humanitarian network.
According to Article 3 of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Article 2 of the Statutes of the German Red Cross, dissemination forms an important part of the work of the German Red Cross (GerRC). Article 2 of the German Red Cross Act explicitly appoints the GerRC, as a Voluntary Aid Society auxiliary to the German authorities in the humanitarian field, to disseminate International Humanitarian Law and the principles and ideals of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as well as to support the Federal Government in this regard.
Dissemination
The mandate of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is to prevent and alleviate human suffering, protect life and health and to ensure respect for human dignity, particularly in times of armed conflicts and other emergencies. The dissemination of the rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is one of the main tasks of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Individuals participating in armed conflicts need to be familiar with the rules of International Humanitarian Law to be able to respect them accordingly.
The Red Cross is committed not only to the dissemination of knowledge about international humanitarian law and its compliance, but also to its continued development. This particularly concerns the improved protection of victims of armed conflicts.
Recently, the German Red Cross has also supported numerous initiatives at national and international level. One of the successes of these efforts is the conclusion of the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. For decades, the German Red Cross has also supported international campaigns against the use of mines and provides assistance to the victims affected. In the context of combating the irregular spread of weapons and their use to commit violations of international humanitarian law, the German Red Cross welcomed the conclusion of the International Arms Trade Treaty in 2013. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement have also spoken out and advocated for a ban on nuclear weapons (Four-Year Action Plan) after witnessing the human suffering associated with the use of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The German Red Cross welcomed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted in July 2017, particularly in view of the ban on the use of nuclear weapons contained therein and based on international humanitarian law.
Materials and Newsletter
You can find our materials here (in German).
You also have the option to sign up for a newsletter subscription to receive regular updates on the dissemination work of the German Red Cross. All newsletter issues can be found in the archive in chronological order.
Training Events
To fulfill its mission, the GerRC carries out different activities on dissemination. This is aimed at political and social decision-makers, the armed forces and police, lawyers, medical personnel, schoolchildren and students, the media and the general public.
In addition to other dissemination activities, the GerRC has been organizing various training events on international humanitarian law for lawyers and law students at the federal and state level since the 1950s. Among these is the annual IHL Summer School, which has now been held for over 20 years. It takes place as a one-week block seminar on fundamental and current topics of international humanitarian law and international criminal law.
In addition, the General Secretariat of the German Red Cross organizes a Dissemination meeting every two to three years. This two-day event is aimed at all GerRC Dissemination Officers (at District, Regional and Federal level) and serves, among other things, to promote exchange between all levels of the Dissemination division. The Dissemination Officers are supported in their work by various lectures on international humanitarian law topics as well as trainings. Next to this, the GerRC General Secretariat and the GerRC Regional Association of Baden-Württemberg, together with the Federal Ministry of Defense, organize an annual meeting to strengthen the dialogue between legal advisors of the German Armed Forces and the GerRC’s Dissemination officers. In addition, the GerRC is the executive board of the German Committee on International Humanitarian Law, in which representatives of the relevant ministries, academia and the GerRC exchange views on issues of international humanitarian law.
The German Youth Red Cross also works to disseminate IHL and the Movement’s principles to children and young people through campaigns and educational materials.
A Federal country – a Federal system
In accordance with the federal structure of the GerRC, each association level has its own responsibility for coordinating and carrying out dissemination work. In addition to the full-time employees, it is in particular the volunteer Dissemination officers who are committed to dissemination work in the individual federal states. The Dissemination Officer system comprises of a Federal Dissemination Officer, 19 Regional Dissemination Officers and several hundred County and District Dissemination Officers. It represents a unique opportunity in Germany to advocate for international humanitarian law and humanitarian ethics.
Federal Association
The Federal Dissemination Officer is a high-ranking public international lawyer, who advises the Headquarters of the German Red Cross and, if necessary government agencies on questions of IHL, coordinates and supports the work of the 19 Regional Dissemination Officers and disseminates the positions of the GerRC on IHL at the national and international level. This comprises of activities such as publications, lectures and trainings.
From 2021, Dr. Dieter Weingärtner performs the function of the Federal Dissemination Officer.
Regional Associations
The 19 Regional Dissemination Officers are lawyers or of an equal qualification, who advise the regional branches of the GerRC in IHL and coordinate and support the District Dissemination Officers, for e.g. by organizing seminars and annual conferences and by maintaining close contacts to authorities and academic institutions which engage in questions concerning IHL and humanitarian ethics. Moreover, they teach young lawyers and members of the GerRC in IHL and draw up respective dissemination materials. Through lectures, publications, and media contributions, they disseminate the positions of the GerRC on IHL at the regional level.
Regional Dissemination Officers:
· LV Baden-Württemberg: Christian Schad, since 2025
· LV Badisches Rotes Kreuz: Hedi van Gemmeren, since 2019
· LV Bayerisches Rotes Kreuz: Dr. Donald Riznik, since 2016
· LV Berlin: Dr. Michael Fuchs, since 2021
· LV Brandenburg: Dr. Johannes Richert, since 2022
· LV Bremen: Dr. Till Markus, since 2012
· LV Hamburg: Dr. Volkmar Schön, since 2016
· LV Hessen: Marius Tollenaere, since 2019
· LV Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Hans-Heinrich Lappat, since 2013
· LV Niedersachsen: Dr. Alexander Götz, since 2022
· LV Nordrhein: Michael Sieland, since 2021
· LV Oldenburg: Martin Schmid, since 2022
· LV Rheinland-Pfalz: Herbert Schneiders, since 2015
· LV Saarland: Dr. Alexander Sudahl, since 2022
· LV Sachsen: Kerstin Börner, since 2022
· LV Sachsen-Anhalt: Dr. Reinhard Schmid, since 2018
· LV Schleswig-Holstein: Björn Urbschat, since 2023
· LV Thüringen: Thomas Stein, since 2004
County and District Associations
The County and District Dissemination Officers advise the district and local branches of the GerRC on relevant issues and ensure that active Red Cross members and the population receive sufficient training in IHL and the ideals and principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. Teaching and seminar activities are aimed at personnel assigned to civil defense tasks and who have special humanitarian responsibilities in the event of a conflict (e.g. medical professionals). The District Dissemination Officers also perform grassroot work for the realization of a united, non-discriminatory society free of violence.
Here you can find the report of a longstanding district Dissemination Officer (in German).
Contact
GRC-Headquarters: International Relations and International Humanitarian Law - Unit
Carstennstraße 58
12205 Berlin
Head of Unit
Dr. Katja Schöberl
Phone: +49 (0) 30 85404 805
E-Mail: k.schoeberl(at)drk(dot)de
Advisor International Law
Seyda Uyar-Bulut, LL.M.
Phone: +49 (0) 30 85404 324
E-Mail: hvr(at)drk(dot)de
Jakob Forini, LL.M.
Phone: +49 (0) 30 85404 368
E-Mail: hvr(at)drk(dot)de
Esther Schnell, LL.M.
Phone: +49 (0) 30 85404 357
E-Mail: hvr(at)drk(dot)de
Applications for an Internship and Legal Clerkship
E-Mail: hvr(at)drk(dot)de
The Department of International Humanitarian Law of the General Secretariat offers interested legal interns and trainees the opportunity to gain insight into the dissemination work of the German Red Cross. The prerequisite is a minimum 2-month long legal traineeship or internship. Please send your application to hvr(at)drk(dot)de.