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A brief history of the International Review of the Red Cross

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 July 2019

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Extract

The International Review of the Red Cross has gone through many evolutions since it was first published in October 1869. All told, it has had sixteen editors-in-chief from diverse professional backgrounds, as well as many managing editors, thematic editors, editorial assistants and others, all working to support the production, promotion and distribution of the journal. It is now the oldest publication devoted to international humanitarian law (IHL), policy and action. Its collection represents a precious resource on the history of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (the Movement), and on the development of humanitarian law and action at large. The Review continues to contribute significantly to these fields, so it is worthwhile to look back at the journal's role in the past to see how it has evolved and reflect on where it is now, and where it may go in the future.

Type
Voices and perspectives
Information
International Review of the Red Cross , Volume 100 , Issue 907-909: 150 years of humanitarian reflection , April 2018 , pp. 23 - 36
Copyright
Copyright © icrc 2019 

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Footnotes

This note was drafted by the Review editorial team. Special thanks to Ellen Policinski, Kvitoslava Krotiuk, Cedric Cotter, Eline Goovaerts and Safi van't Land.

References

2 See the photo gallery, “The Editors-in-Chief of the Review, 1869–2019”, in this issue of the Review.

3 “Publication d'un bulletin international”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1869.

4 Ibid. See English translation in Annex 1 of this article. For further discussion on the foundation and evolution of the journal, see, e.g., Lossier, Jean-Georges, “Comment naquit le ‘Bulletin international’”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 51, No. 610, 1969Google Scholar; Segesvary, Victor, “Cinquante années de la ‘Revue’”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 51, No. 610, 1969CrossRefGoogle Scholar; and the article by Daniel Palmieri in this issue of the Review.

5 See Meurant, Jacques, “The 125th Anniversary of the International Review of the Red Cross: A Faithful Record. Part III: The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: Solidarity and Unity”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 35, No. 307, 1995Google Scholar.

6 Moynier, Gustave, “Les dix premières années de la Croix-Rouge: III. Sociétés de secours”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 4, No. 16, 1873, p. 195Google Scholar.

7 Quataert, Jean H., “A New Look at International Law: Gendering the Practices of Humanitarian Medicine in Europe's ‘Small Wars’, 1879–1907”, Human Rights Quarterly, Vol. 40, No. 3, 2018, p. 560CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

8 See de la Rasilla, Ignacio, “A Very Short History of International Law Journals (1869–2018)”, European Journal of International Law, Vol. 29, No. 1, 2018CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

9 Moorehead, Caroline, Dunant's Dream: War, Switzerland and the History of the Red Cross, Carroll & Graf, New York, 1999, p. 57Google Scholar. See also “Machine à glace pour les ambulances”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 10, No. 37, 1879, p. 30; “Batterie de cuisine portative du colonel baron van Tuyll van Serooskerken”, Bulletin International de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1870, p. 94.

10 See the articles by David Forsythe and Daniel Palmieri in this issue of the Review.

11 Moynier, Gustave, “Note sur la création d'une institution judiciaire internationale propre a prévenir et a réprimer les infractions à la Convention de Genève”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blesses, Vol. 3, No. 11, 1872, p. 122Google Scholar.

12 “Institution judiciaire internationale”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 3, No. 12, 1872, p. 203; G. Moynier, above note 11.

13 “La Croix-Rouge chez les nègres”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 11, No. 41, 1880.

14 C. Moorehead, above note 9, p. 57.

15 See Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 16, No. 62, 1885, p. 53. In this issue there is a discussion about an “enquête sur le role du Comité international et les relations des comités centraux”, and National Societies are asked for their input on how to improve the journal. The first issue of 1886 does not explain the name change.

16 For more on the ICRC's evolution during and after the First World War, see Palmieri, Daniel, “An Institution Standing the Test of Time? A Review of 150 Years of the History of the International Committee of the Red Cross”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 94, No. 888, 2012CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Durand, André, History of the International Committee of the Red Cross: From Sarajevo to Hiroshima, Henry Dunant Institute, Geneva, 1984Google Scholar; Cotter, Cédric, (S’)Aider pour survivre: Action humanitaire et neutralité suisse pendant la Première Guerre mondiale, Georg Editeur, Geneva, 2017Google Scholar.

17 See, for example, the periodic articles published by the Agence Internationale des Prisonniers de Guerre, including “La situation des prisonniers de guerre et des internes civils depuis la conclusion des armistices”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1919. And see “Prisonniers russes”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 1, No. 5, 1919; “Prisonniers de guerre hongrois en Roumanie”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 1, No. 9, 1919.

18 See, for example, “La Croix-Rouge russe a communiqué deux mémoires tendant a établir des cas de violation de la Convention de Genève par les armées allemandes et austro-hongroises”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 47, No. 187, 1916, pp. 355–356; and the “Protestations” in e.g. Bulletin International des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 48, No. 189, 1917, pp. 15–35 (France against Bulgaria, Bulgaria against France and Great Britain, and Russia against Turkey), or Vol. 48, No. 191, 1917, pp. 384–397 (Great Britain and France against Germany, Bulgaria against France and Great Britain, Turkey against Russia).

19 To read more, see Cameron, Lindsey, “The ICRC in the First World War: Unwavering Belief in the Power of Law?”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 97, No. 900, 2015CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

20 des Gouttes, Paul, Clouzot, Etienne and de Watteville, K., “Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge et Bulletin International des Societés de la Croix-Rouge”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1919, p. 2Google Scholar.

21 See Meurant, Jacques, “The 125th Anniversary of the International Review of the Red Cross: A Faithful Record. Part I: Protection and Assistance”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 34, No. 303, 1994, pp. 533–534CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

22 “Comité International”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1919, p. 69. See also C. Moorehead, above note 9, p. 256.

23 C. Moorehead, above note 9, p. 257.

24 Gouttes, Paul Des, “De la Fédération des Sociétés de la Croix-Rouge”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1919Google Scholar.

25 See Draudt, Colonel and Huber, Max, “Rapport à la XIIIme Conférence international de la Croix-Rouge sur les status de la Croix-Rouge internationale”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 10, No. 119, 1928Google Scholar; J. Meurant, above note 5, pp. 463–465.

26 C. Moorehead, above note 9, p. 299.

27 Ibid.

28 Ibid., p. 300.

29 Ibid., p. 411.

30 Pictet, Jean S., “Les nouvelles Conventions de Genève et la Croix-Rouge”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 31, No. 369, 1949Google Scholar; “Conventions de Genève pour la protection des victimes de la guerre: Convention de Genève relative à la protection des personnes civiles en temps de guerre, du 12 août 1949”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 31, No. 386, 1949; “Observations générales sur l’élaboration de la Convention relative à la protection des civils, à la Conférence diplomatique de Genève”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 31, No. 386, 1949.

31 “Séance de Clôture. Discours de M. Max Petitpierre, vice-président du Conseil Fédéral suisse, président de la Conférence Diplomatique de Genève”, Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, Vol. 31, No. 386, 1949, p. 552. See also Rey-Schyrr, Catherine, “The Geneva Conventions of 1949: A Decisive Breakthrough. Part I”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 81, No. 834, 1999Google Scholar; Rey-Schyrr, Catherine, “The Geneva Conventions of 1949: A Decisive Breakthrough. Part II”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 81, No. 835, 1999Google Scholar.

32 Meurant, Jacques, “The 125th Anniversary of the International Review of the Red Cross: A Faithful Record. Part II: Victories of the Law”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 35, No. 306, 1995, p. 286Google Scholar.

33 Freymond, Jacques, “Aid to the Victims of the Civil War in Nigeria”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 10, No. 107, 1970CrossRefGoogle Scholar; J. Meurant, above note 21, p. 535. See also “Help to War Victims in Nigeria”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 8, No. 92, 1968Google Scholar.

34 See, e.g., Bargatzsky, Walter, “Red Cross Unity in the World”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 14, No. 163, 1974Google Scholar; JFreymond, acques, “The International Committee of the Red Cross within the International System”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 12, No. 134, 1972CrossRefGoogle Scholar; “Under the Presidency of Mr. Alexander Hay, the ICRC from 1976 to 1987: Controlled Expansion”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 27, No. 261, 1987. See also J. Meurant, above note 21, pp. 534–535.

35 Throughout the 1970s, in particular, there was a gradual increase in focus on dissemination articles (for example, the Jean Pictet Commentaries published in 1979–1980) and “Geneva news”, so the coverage of specific operations, though still present, was comparatively reduced.

36 See J. Meurant, above note 21, p. 538, fn. 9.

37 J.-G. Lossier, above note 4.

38 J. Meurant, above note 32, pp. 285 ff; Sommaruga, Cornelio, “The Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions: A Quest for Universality”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 27, No. 258, 1987CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

39 Bugnion, François, “Adoption of the Additional Protocols of 8 June 1977: A Milestone in the Development of International Humanitarian Law”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 99, No. 905, 2017CrossRefGoogle Scholar. See also the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions, resolutions of the Diplomatic Conference and extracts from the final act of the Diplomatic Conference, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 17, No. 197–198, 1977.

40 J. Meurant, above note 32, p. 288, citing, e.g., Pilloud, Claude, “The Concept of International Armed Conflict: Further Outlook”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 15, No. 166, 1975CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

41 Gasser, Hans-Peter, “Steps Taken to Encourage States to Accept the 1977 Protocols”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 27, No. 258, 1987CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

42 See, e.g., “Fundamental Rules of Humanitarian Law Applicable in Conflicts”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 18, No. 206, 1978; Nahlik, Stanislaw, “A Brief Outline of International Humanitarian Law”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 24, No. 241, 1984CrossRefGoogle Scholar; “Technical Note on the Protocols of 8 June 1977 Additional to the Geneva Conventions”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 24, No. 242, 1984. See also J. Meurant, above note 32.

43 See, e.g., Kosirnik, René, “Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law and of the Principles and Ideals of the Red Cross and Red Crescent”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 32, No. 287, 1992Google Scholar; “Guidelines for the 90s”, International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 32, No. 287, 1992. See also J. Meurant, above note 32.

44 International Review of the Red Cross, Vol. 37, No. 316, 1997.

45 For more on how civilians as beneficiaries of humanitarian action have been represented in the journal, see the article by Ben Holmes in this issue of the Review.

46 As of November 2018. Top issues determined based on clicks and downloads.

47 For more information, see Vincent Bernard's editorial in this issue of the Review.

48 First published as “Publication d'un bulletin international”, Bulletin International des Sociétés de Secours aux Militaires Blessés, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1869.