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German Red Cross

The German Red Cross (German: Deutsches Rotes Kreuz) is the national Red Cross Society in Germany.

With over 4.5 million members, it is the third largest Red Cross society in the world. The German Red Cross offers a wide range of services within and outside Germany. For instance, it is a the biggest operator of emergency medical services in Germany, it runs nursing homes and offers social services for teenagers and families. Also spends millions on humanitarian aid projects in the third world.

Voluntary societies of the German Red Cross

The majority of voluntary Red Cross members are part of the five voluntary societies of the German Red Cross.

• Bereitschaften (medical service units, about 130,000 members)
• Bergwacht (mountain rescue service)
• Wasserwacht (lifeguard service, about 130,000 members)
• Sozialarbeit (welfare work)
• Jugendrotkreuz (Red Cross Youth)

Presidents of the German Red Cross

• 1921 - 1933: Joachim von Winterfeldt-Menkin
• 1933 - 1945: Carl-Eduard Herzog von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha
• 1950 - 1952: Dr. Otto Gessler
• 1952 - 1961: Dr. Heinrich Weitz
• 1961 - 1967: Hans Ritter von Lex
• 1967 - 1982: Walter Bargatzky
• 1982 - 1994: Botho Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
• 1994 - 2003: Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Knut Ipsen
• since 2003: Federal minister (retired) Rudolf Seiters

External links

• German Red Cross
• German Red Cross Youth
• GRC lifeguard service