Armed conflict in Ukraine

The GRC Tracing Service assists separated families with urgent tracing needs in this difficult situation.

Currently in Ukraine, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Ukrainian Red Cross (URC) are strongly limited in their ability to actively search for missing persons, transmit Red Cross messages and visit detainees. Even outside Ukraine, the ongoing refugee movements make it difficult to clarify the whereabouts of relatives with who have lost contact with each other. The National Red Cross Societies in the countries bordering Ukraine, such as the Polish Red Cross, are supporting persons seeking protection by taking measures aimed at maintaining communication with their loved ones.

Persons who are searching for a relative can contact any GRC Tracing Service support centre in Germany. Contact details can be found at: Suchende Angehörige können sich an jede DRK-Suchdienst-Beratungsstelle im Bundesgebiet wenden. Die Kontaktdaten finden Sie unter: GRC Tracing Service branch near you.

Urgent tracing requests can also be addressed directly to the International Tracing Department.

The Federal Office of Administration (BVA) has posted a leaflet for admission applicants from Ukraine on its website:

The central statements can be summarised as follows:

• In the written admission procedure, applications from persons residing in Ukraine, with the exception of Crimea, will be given priority, but due to the large number of applications, immediate processing cannot be expected in each individual case.
• The BVA will support the aforementioned group of persons if there should be any problems of proof in the areas of origin, language or confession.
• The BVA expressly points out the possibility of carrying out a hardship procedure if applicants for admission are not yet in possession of a notification of admission. The BVA assumes that applicants from Ukraine meet the criteria of hardship within the meaning of section 27 (1) sentence 2 of the Federal Expellees Act (BVFG).
• Even in cases of an exceptional admission procedure, the legal admission requirements must be fulfilled prior to the entry into Germany (proof of German origin, language, confession to the German people). However, in certain cases, an exception applies to refugees from Ukraine: the legal requirements for the admission as a late resettler may be fulfilled after entry into Germany, but not later than two years after entry. Please find these requirements in a guidance note of the Federal Administrative Office (BVA): www.bva.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Buerger/Migration-Integration/Spaetaussiedler/Vordrucke_Merkblaetter/Merkblatt_KrWoFGV.html
• In addition, the BVA has set up a hotline for this group of persons, telephone: +49(0)2289 / 93 58 –20255 and also refers to the possibility of making contact by e-mail ukaine-friedland(at)bva.bund.de

For further questions on the admission procedure, please contact the  GRC Tracing Service support centres in the GRC regional and district branches and the staff at the GRC Tracing Service Hamburg Office.

Since activating a National Information Bureau (NIB) is only required for parties to a conflict and the Federal Republic of Germany is not in an armed conflict, there is currently no need to activate the NIB.

In the event of war, the Geneva Conventions provide for the signatory states to set up national information centres to collect and forward information on prisoners of war and civilian internees. Through this so-called National Information Bureau (NIB), all parties to the conflict are to ensure that families receive information about the fate of their missing relatives. In the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, both states are thus required to collect the data of prisoners of war and civilian internees. The ICRC is usually responsible for mediating enquiries. In Germany, the GRC Tracing Service was entrusted in 1966 with the planning, provision and performance of such a NIB.

The GRC Tracing Service is responding nationwide to the needs of those seeking protection due to the armed conflict in Ukraine. In view of the situation, the Tracing Service Head Office has produced new public relations materials at short notice, or has had already existing materials translated into Ukrainian, with which we would like to address family members who are looking for a relative and inform them on how the Tracing Service can help them. If you would like to receive the following materials as print-quality files, please contact suchdienst(at)drk.de, mentioning the materials and languages you require.