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Army doctor at the cradle of the Netherlands Red Cross
In 1864, the first agreements of the International Red Cross were laid down in the Geneva Convention. In the years that followed, more and more countries founded Red Cross associations. Johan Basting plays an important role in the establishment of the Dutch Red Cross.
The Dutch army doctor Johan Basting supports Henry Dunant in the establishment of the International Red Cross. In addition, he advocates for a national Red Cross organization in the Netherlands. This begins in 1863 when he translates Dunant's book 'Un Souvenir de Solferino' into Dutch. In October 1863, Basting was a delegate to the International Conference in Geneva, but without a mandate from the Netherlands. The Dutch government is cautious when it comes to international political affairs. Despite the restraint, the Dutch government signed the First Geneva Convention in November 1864.
On July 19, 1867, the time had come. At Het Loo Palace, King William III signs the Royal Decree establishing 'A Dutch Association for the provision of aid to sick and wounded warriors in time of war, whether or not the Netherlands is involved'. The Netherlands Red Cross has started.
The goal of the association is to help everyone who is in need. At home and abroad. At the time, the goal was formulated as follows: "In time of war, to help alleviate the fate of the wounded and sick warrior by personal services and material aids, even then, even when her help is requested by belligerent nations, while the Netherlands is not involved in the war; In time of peace, to prepare oneself exclusively for that task, in order to be always ready for it." 1
In 1870, the Dutch association took action abroad for the first time, during the French-Prussian War. The Dutch government is afraid that many wounded people in the Netherlands will have to be taken care of and calls in the help of the Red Cross. The Netherlands Red Cross sent a total of ten ambulances and cared for hundreds of wounded until the armistice took effect on 28 January 1871.
The staff of an emergency hospital of the Dutch Red Cross | Help of the Red Cross during the Franco-Prussian War
In the period between the French-Prussian War and the Second World War, the Red Cross was very active abroad. In 1901, a Dutch medical team, called a field ambulance, left for South Africa where a peasant war was raging. Our organization helps victims of conflicts in Borneo, Lombok and Aceh in the Netherlands East Indies, but also in the Balkans, in Ethiopia and in Finland.
The Royal House has a continuing interest in the Dutch Red Cross. Prince Hendrik became chairman in 1909. After his death in 1934, Princess Juliana took over until 1948. After that, she remained patroness. Princess Margriet has been honorary president of our association since 2010.
1 Source: Associations for Poor Relief and Poverty Prevention in the Nineteenth Century (knaw.nl)