The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has strong roots in Germany, as the organisation was founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein to help refugees from Germany and across Europe to escape conflict and persecution. In July 2016, we decided to establish ‘IRC Deutschland’ based in Berlin as part of our global network. The team is responsible for leading our engagement with the German government, civil society organisations and leading think tanks on global humanitarian assistance, as well as providing technical assistance, tools and support for the successful integration and resettlement of refugees in Germany.
The role of the IRC in Germany
Since the start of 2015, Germany has received over 1.3 million people seeking asylum and is working to address the short and long-term needs of asylum seekers across the country. The IRC is well positioned to contribute to this work in Germany given our expertise in supporting refugees and displaced people from initial humanitarian relief to long-term integration programming, and our work on the Syria and Afghanistan crises in particular.
Based on this experience, the IRC will work with German state and non-state actors involved in the refugee response on the protection, education and integration of people seeking asylum.
Contact information
Interim Managing Director: Corina Pfitzner, [email protected]
Find out more about the IRC's work supporting refugees in Europe.
Learn more about IRC Deutschland's work in German by visiting the IRC Deutschland site.