[Geneva Convention. Wounded in Armies in the Field.] to mitigate, as far as depends upon them, the evils inseparable from war, to suppress useless severities, and to ameliorate the condition of soldiers wounded on the field of battle, have resolved to conclude a Convention for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: The Swiss Confederation, the Sieur William Henry Dufour, General-in-Chief of the Federal Army, member of the Council of the States, &c.; the Sieur Gustavus Moynier, President of the International Committee of Assistance for wounded Soldiers, and ~ of the Genevese Society of Public Utility; and the Sieur Samuel Lehmann, a Federal Colonel, Physician-in-Chief of the Federal Army, a member of the National Council; His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden, the Sieur Robert Volz, Doctor of Medicine, Medical Councillor in the Direction of Medical Affairs, &c.; and the Sieur Adolphus Steiner, Physician Major, &c. ; His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the Sieur Augustus Visschers, a member of the Council of Mines, &c. ; His Majesty the King of Denmark, the Sieur Charles Emilius Fenger, his Councillor of State, &c.; Her Majesty the Queen of Spain, the Sieur Don José Heriberto Garcia de Quevedo, Actual Gentleman of her Chamber, her Minister Resident to the Swiss Confederation, &c. ; His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur George Charles Jagerschmidt, Sub-Director in the Department for Foreign Affairs, &c.; the Sieur Henry Eugène Seguineau de Préval, Military Sub-Intendant of the first class, &c.; and the Sieur Martin Francis Boudier, Principal Physician of the second class, &c.; His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Hesse, the Sieur Charles Augustus Brodruck, Commandant of a battalion of the Staff, &c.; His Majesty the King of Italy, the Sieur John Capello, his Consul-General in Switzerland, &c.; and the Sieur Felix Baroffio, Physician of Division, &c. ; His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, the Sieur Bernard Ortuinus Theodore Henry Westenberg, Doctor of Laws, his Secretary of Legation at Frankfort, &c.; His Majesty the King of Portugal and the Algarves, the Sieur José Antonio Marques, Doctor of Medicine and Surgery, Surgeon of Brigade, Sub-Chief of the Department of Health in the Ministry of War, &c. ; [Geneva Convention. Wounded in Armies in the Field.] His Majesty the King of Prussia, the Sieur Charles Albert de Kamptz, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Swiss Confederation, Privy Councillor of Legation, &c.; the Sieur Godfrey Frederick Francis Loeffler, Doctor of Medicine, Physician-General of the fourth Corps d'Armée, &c.; and the Sieur George Hermann Julius Ritter, Privy Councillor in the Ministry of War, &c.; His Majesty the King of Wurtemberg, the Sieur Christopher Ulric Hahn, Doctor of Philosophy and Theology, Member of the Central and Royal Direction for Establishments of Beneficence, &c.; Who, after having exchanged their Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles : Ambulances and Military Hospitals to be Neutral. ART. I. Ambulances and Military Hospitals shall be acknowledged to be Neuter, and, as such, shall be protected and respected by Belligerents so long as any sick or wounded may be therein. Neutrality to cease if held by a Military Force. Such Neutrality shall cease if the Ambulances or Hospitals should be held by a Military Force. Persons employed in Hospitals and Ambulances to participate in Neutrality. ART. II. Persons employed in Hospitals and Ambulances, comprising the staff for superintendence, medical service, administration, transport of wounded, as well as chaplains, shall participate in the benefit of Neutrality whilst so employed, and so long as there remain any wounded to bring in or to succour. Neutrality to continue to Persons fulfilling Duties in Hospitals, &c., occupied by the Enemy. ART. III. The persons designated in the preceding Article may, even after occupation by the enemy, continue to fulfil their duties in the Hospital or Ambulance which they serve, or may withdraw in order to rejoin the corps to which they belong. Persons ceasing their Functions to be delivered to Outposts of the Enemy. Under such circumstances, when those Persons shall cease [Geneva Convention. Wounded in Armies in the Field.] from their functions, they shall be delivered by the occupying Army to the outposts of the Enemy. Private Property in Military Hospitals only can be carried away. ART. IV. As the equipment of Military Hospitals remains subject to the laws of war, persons attached to such Hospitals cannot, in withdrawing, carry away any articles but such as are their private property. Ambulance to retain its Equipment. Under the same circumstances an Ambulance shall, on the contrary, retain its equipment. Persons assisting the Wounded to be respected. ART. V. Inhabitants of the country who may bring help to the Wounded shall be respected, and shall remain free. The Generals of the belligerent Powers shall make it their care to inform the Inhabitants of the appeal addressed to their humanity, and of the Neutrality which will be the consequence of it. House containing Wounded Men to be protected. Inhabitants entertaining Wounded Men. Privileges to Any Wounded man entertained and taken care of in a House shall be considered as a protection thereto. Any Inhabitant who shall have entertained Wounded Men in his House shall be exempted from the Quartering of Troops, as well as from a part of the Contributions of War which may be imposed. Care to be taken of Wounded or Sick Men. ART. VI. Wounded or Sick Soldiers shall be entertained and taken care of, to whatever Nation they may belong. Delivery of Wounded to Outposts of the Enemy. Commanders-in-Chief shall have the power to deliver immediately to the outposts of the Enemy, Soldiers who have been Wounded in an engagement, when circumstances permit this to be done, and with the consent of both parties. Wounded, if incapable of serving, to be sent to their Country. Those who are recognised, after their wounds are healed, as incapable of serving, shall be sent back to their country. Wounded in Armies in the Field.] [Geneva Convention. Wounded or Sick cured to be sent back on condition of not Bearing Arms. The others may also be sent back, on condition of not again bearing Arms during the continuance of the War. Evacuations to enjoy absolute Neutrality. Evacuations, together with the persons under whose directions they take place, shall be protected by an absolute Neutrality. Distinctive Flag for Hospitals, &c. Arm-badge to be worn by Neutralised Individuals. ART. VII. A Distinctive and Uniform Flag shall be adopted for Hospitals, Ambulances, and Evacuations. It must, on every occasion, be accompanied by the National Flag. An Arm-badge (brassard) shall also be allowed for Individuals Neutralised, but the delivery thereof shall be left to military authority. Colour of Flag and Arm-badge. The Flag and the Arm-badge shall bear a Red Cross on a White ground. Details of Execution. ART. VIII. The Details of Execution of the present Convention shall be regulated by the Commanders-in-Chief of belligerent Armies, according to the instructions of their respective Governments, and in conformity with the general principles laid down in this Convention. Governments to be invited to accede to Convention.* ART. IX. The High Contracting Powers have agreed to communicate the present Convention to those Governments which have not found it convenient to send Plenipotentiaries to the International Conference at Geneva, with an invitation to accede thereto; the Protocol is for that purpose left open. Ratifications. ART. X. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Berne in 4 months, or sooner if possible. * See next page. |