HISTORICAL MOVEMENTS

The Solferino War

On June 24, 1859 at Solferino, a small town located in the lower mainland Lambordi Province, north of Italy, held a fierce battle between the French and Austrian soldiers. The battle that lasted about 16 hours and involving 320,000 soldiers, swallowed tens of thousands of victims killed and injured. Approximately 40 thousand people have died in battle.

Number of soldiers who became victims, where the battle took place between groups that face each other, it is a characteristic of war that began during that era. Massacres are like that kill thousands of people at one time. Moreover, military commanders do not consider the interests of injured people to get help and treatment. They are only regarded as 'food cannon'. Thousands of bodies overlap with their wounded without help. The number of surgeons were woefully inadequate. At that time, there were only four thousand vets who treat horses as well as a doctor for a thousand people. The battle is eventually won by France.

As a result of the war with a very gruesome sights, evocative Henry Dunant, a Swiss nationals businessman (1828 - 1910) who was passing by on his way to meet with Emperor Napoleon III for business purposes. However witnessed a terrible scene of battle, making her sadness appears and forgotten will aim to meet the emperor. He gathers people from surrounding villages and stay there for three days to really spend the time to care for the wounded.

Thousands of people were injured and left to die unattended in a place because of inadequate medical care and inadequate numbers of tasks / skills, making it very intrigued. Words of wisdom that is expressed at the time, Siamo Tutti fratelli (We are all brothers), open the hearts of the volunteers to serve companion or opponent without a difference.

International Committee

Dunant Returning to Switzerland, to keep her haunted by a nightmare he had witnessed at Solferino. To eliminate the bad shadows in his mind and to draw world attention to the fact cruel war, he wrote a book and published at their own expense in November 1862. That book is titled "Memories of Solferino (Un Souvenir de Solferino).

The book contains two important ideas, namely:

1. Need help establish associations in each country consisting of volunteers to care for the wounded in time of war.

2. The need for international agreements to protect the wounded soldier in the battlefield and those who cared for him and giving neutral status to them.

Dunant subsequently sent the book to prominent families in Europe and also military leaders, politicians, philanthropists and friends. The effort was soon led to unexpected results. Dunant was invited everywhere and praised everywhere. Many people are attracted to the idea of Henry Dunant, including Gustave Moynier, a lawyer and also chairman of the Geneva Public Welfare Society (GPWS). Moynier Henry Dunant was invited to put forward his idea in the GPWS meeting held on February 9, 1863 in Geneva. turns out, 160 of 180 members supported the idea Dunant GPWS. At that time also instituted a GPWS and four members formed a committee of five to fight for the realization of the idea of Henry Dunant. They are: 

1. Gustave Moynier

2. dr. Appia Louis

3. dr. Theodore Maunoir

4. Hendri-General Guillaume Dufour 

The Henry Dunant, although not a member of the GPWS, but the committee was appointed secretary. On February 17, 1863, the Committee of Five was renamed the International Permanent Committee for Aid to Wounded Soldiers at the same time raised new chairman of General Guillaume - Henri Dufour. 

In October 1863, the International Permanent Committee for the Wounded Soldiers Relief Society, the Swiss government assistance, managed to establish the first International Conference in Geneva which was attended by representatives from 16 countries (Austria, Baden, Beierem, Netherlands, Heseen-Darmstadt, England, Italy, Norway , Prussia, France, Spain, Saksen, Sweden, Switzerland, Hannover and Hutenberg). Some countries are nowadays has become part of the German State. 

The results of the conference, a convention was agreed that consists of ten chapters, some of which are crucial article which replaced the name of the International Permanent Committee for the Wounded Soldiers Helping the International Committee of the Red Cross or ICRC (International Committeee of the Red Cross) and the enactment of the sign special volunteers who give aid to wounded soldiers on the battlefield of the Red Cross on a white base. 

At the end of an international conference in 1863, Dunant's first idea - to form associations of volunteers in each country becomes a reality. Several similar association was formed several months later after an international conference taking place in Wurttemburg, the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, Belgium and Prussia. Other associations were soon standing like in the Danish, French, Italy, Mecklenburgh, Schwerin, Spain, Hamburg and Hesse. At that time they called the National Committee or Relief Society. 

Furthermore, with the support of the Swiss government back, they held a Diplomatic Conference held in Geneva on 8 until 28 August 1864. 16 countries and four donor institutions send representatives. As discussion, a draft convention prepared by the International Committee. The design is called "the Geneva Convention to improve the condition of wounded soldiers on the battlefield" and approved on August 22, 1864. Thus was born the modern HPI. Convention Dunant second to realize the idea, namely to improve the situation of the wounded soldiers during the war and makes countries provide a neutral status on the wounded soldiers and the people who took care of the health personnel.