Seventy-five years of the Geneva Conventions in pictures

Image of The First International Peace Conference the Hague May -June_1899 — The First International Peace Conference, The Hague, May-June 1899. CC

Mr. Gustave Ador, President of the ICRC from 1910 to 1928. — Gustave Ador, President of the ICRC from 1910 to 1928. Archives Cicr (Dr)

Miss Renée-Marguerite Cramer, member of the ICRC. — Renée-Marguerite Cramer, member of the ICRC. The departments of the Entente armies theoretically dealt with the 30 countries that were at war or had broken off diplomatic relations with Central European powers. Ville De Genève / Cicr

Geneva, hall of the university auditorium. Conference on the revision of the Geneva Convention. June/July 1906. Archives Cicr (Dr)

Charles De Gaulle, — Charles de Gaulle (right), (1890-1970), was a prisoner of war, captured by the Germans on March 2, 1916, and was imprisoned until November 11, 1918. He was also active during the Second World War and was elected president of France. Keystone

First World War, 1914-1918. German prisoners of war eating in a dormitory of the Roche-Maurice, prisoner of war camp. — First World War, 1914-1918. German prisoners of war eating in a dormitory of the Roche-Maurice prisoner of war camp. Cicr

Diplomatic conference on the revision of the Geneva Convention, Swiss delegation. 12 August 1949 is an important date in the development of international humanitarian law. On this day, the revised and expanded texts of the first three conventions, as we know them today, and the fourth humanitarian convention on the protection of civilians were signed. — Diplomatic conference on the revision of the Geneva Convention, Swiss delegation. August 12, 1949, is an important date in the development of international humanitarian law. On this day, the revised and expanded texts of the first three conventions, as we know them today, and the fourth humanitarian convention on the protection of civilians were signed. Archives Cicr (Dr)

Interior view of one of the internment barracks, Egolzwil-Wauwil, Canton Lucerne. 1940s. — Interior view of one of the internment barracks, Egolzwil-Wauwil, canton Lucerne. 1940s. CC

French actor and singer Maurice Chevalier (1888-1972) visits a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany to perform for the prisoners during the Second World War, February 16, 1942. He was himself a prisoner in the same camp during the First World War. Keystone/Hulton Archive / Getty Images

The second edition of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Cicr Archive

Geneva. Signature of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949. Protocol I relates to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts and Protocol II applies to non-international armed conflicts. — Signature of the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949. Protocol I relates to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts and Protocol II applies to non-international armed conflicts. Cicr Archive

Mrs Hochar introduces Mrs Pfirter, head of the ICRC's medical staff department. Mrs Sarhal, Mrs Renée Araman, members of the Central Committee, who together with Mrs Hochar are responsible for the nursing school. — Conference on nurses and the Geneva Conventions. Archives Cicr (Dr)

Djorf assembly centre. Fourth detention mission (15/05/1957 - 06/07/1957). With Mr Gaillard and Mr Gailland. — Djorf assembly centre. Fourth detention mission (15/05/1957 - 06/07/1957). Cicr Archive

Mrs Jane Vickers from the Kenyan Red Cross. A member of the Kenyan Red Cross hands the commander of the military medical service a small green brochure with a copy of the Geneva Conventions. — Jane Vickers from the Kenyan Red Cross hands the commander of the military medical service a small green brochure with a copy of the Geneva Conventions. Archives Cicr (Dr)

Monrovia. Scuplture memoriating the 50th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. Cicr Archive

Arab-Israeli conflict of 1973. Damascus. Arrival of 345 Syrian, Iraqi and Moroccan prisoners of war transferred by the ICRC. The prisoners of war are Syrian, Moroccan and Iraqi. One aircraft is chartered by the ICRC, the other on loan from the United Nations. — Arab-Israeli conflict of 1973. Damascus. Arrival of 345 Syrian, Iraqi and Moroccan prisoners of war transferred by the ICRC. One aircraft is chartered by the ICRC, the other on loan from the United Nations. Cicr Archive

Arab-Israeli conflict of 1973. Search for bodies under the auspices of the ICRC. Archives Cicr (Dr)

A detainee, in orange jump suit, is transported inside Camp X-Ray at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Wednesday, March 27, 2002. — A detainee, in orange jump suit, is transported inside Camp X-Ray at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The US called the detainees illegal combatants, which the ICRC criticised. 2002. Keystone

Versoix near Geneva, shows the offices of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Central tracing agency (CTA) focused exclusively on searching for those captured or missing of the war in Ukraine. Afp Or Licensors

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Listening: Seventy-five years of the Geneva Conventions in pictures

A look through the decades at the Geneva Conventions, which, when they were adopted in 1949, were a continuation of earlier provisions of international humanitarian law.

This content was published on August 12, 2024 - 13:43

Annegret Mathari has been reporting on International Geneva for more than two decades. For swissinfo she covers the UN and other Geneva-based international organisations. She writes on international diplomatic negotiations, human rights issues, humanitarian aid, armed conflicts, health and the environment.

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As a member of our Multimedia team, my work focuses on everything to do with imagery - Photo editing, photo selection, editorial illustrations and social media. I studied graphic design in Zurich and London, 1997-2002. Since then I've worked as a graphic designer, art director, photo editor and illustrator.

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75 Jahre Genfer Konventionen: Wie sich der Schutz von Kriegsgefangenen entwickelte Original

Photo of Renee Marguerite Cramer — Renee Marguerite Cramer ICRC Archive

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