Perhaps unexpectedly, the French Red Cross began with a young Swiss man’s shock. His name was Henry Dunant. In 1859, he witnessed the horrors of the Battle of Solferino in Italy. This spurred his desire to create an organization to aid those wounded in conflict.
Now standing here at La Croix-Rouge in Marseille ponder its long history. The French Red Cross is more than just an organization. It embodies compassion and aid both in France and abroad. Its core missions include emergency response, first aid, social action, training, healthcare, and international initiatives.
La Croix-Rouge was founded as the Société française de secours aux blessés militaires in 1864. Internal disagreements led to the creation of two more organizations. These were the Association des dames françaises in 1879 and the Union des femmes de France in 1881.
The French Red Cross officially formed in 1940. It merged the three entities by decree of Marshal Pétain. Recognized for its public service since August 1940, La Croix-Rouge is part of the International Red Cross. It has over 62000 volunteers and 17000 employees. The network includes 1062 local branches. There are also 108 departmental delegations and 634 social and health facilities. La Croix-Rouge operates across France including overseas territories. It extends its reach to 27 countries. There it develops programs focused on water access, food security, and healthcare for vulnerable populations.
Henry Dunant witnessed the devastation of the battle between Napoleon III’s French army. It was against the Austrian army. On February 9 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC formed in Geneva.
France was among the first nations to sign the Geneva Convention on August 22 1864. The SSBM aimed to support military health services. It aided wounded soldiers and supported war widows and orphans. The Red Cross follows seven core principles. These are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, volunteerism, unity and universality.
La Croix-Rouge is the fourth oldest national society. It was founded after Germany, Belgium, and Spain. Following disagreements, two more societies formed in France. The Association des dames françaises ADF was founded in Paris in 1879. The Union des femmes de France UFF, split from the ADF in 1881. Both assisted military personnel and civilians even in peacetime.
From 1907 Suzanne Pérouse created a joint management body. It was called the Central Committee of the French Red Cross CCCRF. The floods of 1910 saw the first large-scale peacetime operations. They provided shelter, food, and clothing to affected populations.
During World War I the SSBM set up surgical ambulances. The ADF and UFF organized military hospitals. They trained 68000 nurses, established hospital barges, and created prisoner of war agencies. In 1934, the three societies created the first Air Nurse Pilot teams.
During World War II, the Croix-Rouge repeated its earlier actions. The three associations merged in Vichy in 1940. Professor Louis Pasteur Vallery-Radot became its first leader.
Since then, La Croix-Rouge has been involved in major social, humanitarian, and relief events. In the South of France, the earthquake in 1909 saw Madame Macé de Lépinay mobilize nurses. During the 1944 landings in Provence, ambulance drivers played a crucial role. They worked alongside nurses to aid the wounded and organize food distribution under enemy fire. In 2020, during Storm Alex, 150 volunteers from the Alpes-Maritimes and beyond provided aid.
Today La Croix-Rouge in Marseille offers a wide array of services. These include social support, outreach, humanitarian missions, and training programs. It continues to uphold its mission to protect and support those in need.