War victims
The Emerging Legal Regime of Wrecks of Warships
February 3, 2017The status in international law of operational warships has been long established. In contrast, the status of such vessels after they have sunk has been, and remains, a matter of considerable uncertainty. The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides no rules whatsoever relating to sunken warships nor to wrecks more generally. However, over the last decades, technological advances have led to the discovery of many new wreck sites, fuelling commercial interest in these wrecks. As we have seen in our previous blog, illegal scavenging of war wrecks has caused significant upset among governments, war veterans and historians who want to preserve the final resting place of sailors who went down with their ships.
Read morePeople on War 2016
December 9, 2016Over 17,000 people in 16 countries were asked to share their views on a range of issues relating to war – in the ICRC People on War survey. The results are both reassuring and alarming.
Read moreJava Sea: Dutch, British and U.S. WW II Shipwrecks destroyed by Illegal Scavenging
December 2, 2016An international investigation has been launched into the mysterious disappearance of Dutch Second World War shipwrecks which have vanished from the bottom of the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia. In a press statement on 15 November, the Dutch Defence Ministery has confirmed that the wrecks of two of its warships that sank in 1942, the HNLMS De Ruyter (see photo) and HNLMS Java, have completely gone, while large parts of a third, the HNLMS Kortenaer, are also missing. The Dutch Defence Ministry immediateley launched an investigation as to what happened to the wrecks, suggesting the wrecks may have been illegally salvaged for the scrap metal market.
Read moreKoch, J., Von Helden und Opfern: Kulturgeschichte des deutschen Kriegsgedenkens, Darmstadt, WBG, Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 2013.
November 9, 2014Betrachtet man den Wandel in der Gedenkkultur an die Kriege in Deutschland und an die Opfer von der napoleonischen Zeit bis heute, so entsteht ein Beitrag zur politischen Mentalität, der all die dramatischen Umbrüche der jüngeren Geschichte widerspiegelt.
Read moreVrouwen spreken tot u
June 12, 2013Poster with an invitation for a lecture organised by the Women of Ravensbrück Committee. Image: Charcoal or graphite drawing of a female figure with a child. The child reaches his arms out to the woman holding flowers in his left hand. In the background stands a group of women.
Read moreVoor hen die alles gaven. Stichting 1940-1945
June 12, 2013Fundraising poster published by the Dutch Foundation 1940-1945 to raise funds for victims of World War II. Image: a beige colored image with in the center a window with bars, barbed wire and daisies. Through the window a bright sun is seen.
Read morestichting ’40-’45. Zij gaven alles. Wat geeft gij?
June 12, 2013Fundraising poster published by the Dutch Foundation 1940-1945 to raise funds for victims of Word War II . Image: blue and red colored illustration of a wounded peace dove trapped in barbed wire.
Read moreGeef één uur van uw tijd. Voor hen die alles gaven. Stichting 1940-1945
June 12, 2013Poster published by the Dutch Foundation 1940-1945 in favor of victims of Word War II . “Donate one hour of your time to those who gave everything”. Image: In the background some simple white crosses are depicted, suggesting a war cemetery, and a shadow of a large cross full screen and diagonally positioned. In front of this dark cross […]
Read more11 November Dag van het Oorlogsgraf
June 12, 2013Fundraising poster for Dutch War Cemeteries. Image: graphic representation of a war cemetery with a large red poppy.
Read moreKlaproosdag 15 november
June 3, 2013Promotional poster for “Klaproosdag”, a remembrance day to commemorate the soldiers from the British Commonwealth that were killed since the First World War. Image: Dark colored poster showing three red poppies on a grave on a war cemetery. A dark blue colored sky contrasts with the white crosses.
Read more