Archives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Memory institution at Avenue de la Paix, Geneva, Switzerland.
The Archives of the International Committee of the Red Cross holds documents, photographs, films, and audio recordings that document humanitarian operations. The holdings include nine million digital documents and about 800,000 images spanning several kilometers of storage.
The archives were established in 1863 when founders created the International Committee for Relief to the Wounded in Geneva. This founding moment marked the beginning of an institution that became the main center for humanitarian documentation worldwide.
The collection shows how international humanitarian assistance evolved since the 1800s and reflects the roles of different organizations during crises. Visitors can trace how the methods and scope of this work changed over time.
Researchers can access historical documents dated before 1975 through an online reservation system and must obtain specific permissions for sensitive materials. Most holdings are available on-site in Geneva, while digital copies of many documents are also available online.
During World War II, the institution managed the International Prisoners-of-War Agency, which processed millions of documents using early machines. This work was crucial for tracking missing persons and prisoners of war on a massive scale.
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