National Information Bureau

The Geneva Conventions (1949) stipulate that in the event of an international armed conflict, the signatory states must set up National Information Bureaus. These are then tasked with collecting and forwarding information regarding prisoners of war and civilian internees of the opposing party. This is to ensure that the parties involved in the conflict can ensure that affected families receive information about the fate of missing relatives.

In 1966, the German Red Cross (GRC) was commissioned by the government to plan, prepare and operate such a National Information Bureau (NIB) for the Federal Republic of Germany. Within the GRC, the task was assigned to the Tracing Service, which had already gained extensive experience in searching for and clarifying the fate of missing Wehrmacht soldiers after the end of the Second World War.

Within the GRC Tracing Service, the NIB head office is responsible for planning and preparing the National Information Bureau. In the event of an international armed conflict with German involvement, the National Information Bureau would be activated and act as such on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Once activated, the NIB then collects and manages information regarding prisoners of war and civilian internees who belong to the opposing party detained by the Federal Republic of Germany. The information collected is forwarded to the Central Tracing Service of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The NIB of the opposing party in the conflict also shares information on German prisoners of war and civilian internees with the Central Tracing Service of the ICRC.

This ensures that families affected on both sides can receive information on the whereabouts and medical condition of their respective family member who has fallen into the hands of the enemy.

Managing the personal belongings of deceased prisoners of war and civilian internees is also the responsibility of the NIB, which works closely with the respective State’s NIB regional office at GRC regional branch level. If necessary, volunteers who work within the regional information offices for families in the GRC’s emergency services stand by to support the NIB as soon as it is activated.

If you have any questions about the National Information Bureau, please contact us here:

German Red Cross 
Headquarters
NIB Head Office
Carstennstraße 58
12205 Berlin

Your contact persons: 
Ms. Claudia Bliesener
Phone: 030 / 8 54 04 -270
Email: claudia.bliesener(at)drk.de

Mr. Gerald Kaufhold
Phone: 030 / 8 54 04 -397
Email: gerald.kaufhold@drk.de