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Abstract
Historiographies of humanitarian aid and aid agencies alike had suggested an ever-growing politicization and militarization following the end of the ‘cold war’. But already in the 1980s, the field of humanitarian aid underwent extensive changes; new aid agencies no longer relied on Christian ideas of charity or leftist internationalism, short-term aid gained new importance and an ever-growing disaster awareness can be observed. The relief organization ‘Cap Anamur ’/’ German Emergency Doctors’ (GED) was founded in 1979 with the purpose of saving the so-called ‘boat people’. Typical for its time, it ascribed to a pure and innate humanitarian impulse summarized under the term ‘radical humanism’. Using the example of GED the article sets out to scrutinise the policies of this new humanitarianism that can be summarized as ‘controlled demerging’. The article brings into focus humanitarian aid as such, its own logic deriving from a particular idea of humanitarianism, considering both site-specific practices and also specific policies that are not necessarily congruent with political or economic interests. It becomes clear that the basis for the new political meaning humanitarian aid gained from the 1990s onwards was already laid by the humanitarian-aid agencies themselves.
Notes
1. Barnett and Weiss, “Humanitarianism. A Brief History of the Present;” Minear, The Humanitarian Enterprise.
2. Kennedy, The Dark Sides of Virtue. Assessing International Humanitarianism; Rieff, A Bed for the Night; Vaux, The Selfish Altruist, 43–68.
3. Barnett, Empire of Humanity; Paulmann, “Conjunctures in the History of International Humanitarian Aid during the Twentieth Century;” Walker and Maxwell, Shaping the Humanitarian World. Approaches to analyse the German involvement flatly dismiss the existence of any meaningful humanitarian commitment prior to that, cf. Janssen, Menschenrechtsschutz in Krisengebieten. Humanitäre Interventionen nach dem Ende des Kalten Krieges.
4. Walker and Maxwell, Shaping the Humanitarian World, 1.
5. Barnett, Empire of Humanity, 133.
6. Cf. also Watenpaugh, Bread from Stones. Watenpaugh brings forth the political implications of relief aid but confines the problematic aspects to putting “Americans on the wrong side of history as that technical assistance buttressed some of the region’s worst human right offenders” (202).
7. For a similar approach cf. Krause, The Good Project.
8. Barnett, “Evolution without Progress? Humanitarianism in a World of Hurt,” 624.
9. Neudeck, Radikale Humanität.
10. Polman, War Games; Seitz, Afrika wird armregiert oder wie man Afrika wirklich helfen kann.
11. The reports alternate between appreciation and scandalising; cf. Bierdel, Ende einer Rettungsfahrt. Das Flüchtlingsdrama der Cap Anamur.
12. I would like to thank Rupert and Christel Neudeck, the GED and the Managing Director Bernd Goecken for granting me access with a rarely experienced openness and friendliness.
13. Entwurf für einen Aufruf vom 3.8.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
14. Neudeck, “Totenhaus Uganda – gibt es noch Hilfe?,” 151–5.
15. Neudeck, “Zwischen Verzweifeln und Helfen,” 44–7.
16. Ibid.
17. Letter of the Foreign Office to Rupert Neudeck, 29.7.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
18. “Flüchtlingshilfe. Hochgradig albern. Das Deutsche Rote Kreuz wehrt sich gegen private Hilfsorganizationen, die in Kambodscha tätig sind,” Der Spiegel, no 11., 10.3.1980: 118–19.
19. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Ernst Albrecht, 5.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
20. Cf. f. ex. folder “BRD und Ausland. Vietnam, Kambodscha/Laos, 1968–1986,” sig. 1225, APO Archive Berlin.
21. Walter Langlott, “Ein Schiff gegen Vietnam,” konkret 9 (1981): 20–1; cf. also Peter Weiss, “Flüchtlinge aber setzen Verfolgte voraus,” Frankfuter Rundschau, 16.8.1979; “Die Linke und Vietnam. Eine Dokumentation,” 165–205.
22. Joschka [Josef Fischer], “Durchs wilde Kurdistan,” Pflasterstrand 47 (1979): 28–31.
23. Jochanan Shelliem, “Leserbrief. Fragen eines denkenden Studenten,” Pflasterstrand 47 (1979): 33.
24. Dieter E. Zimmer, “Misthaufen. Böll verliert seinen Prozeß gegen Walden,” Die Zeit Nr. 15, 4.4.1975, 17.
25. Neudeck, “Ein Schiff für Vietnam,” 165–205.
26. Listing of the Donations 1979–2010, provided by the GED branch office, Cologne.
27. Hoimar von Ditfurth, “Die mörderische Konsequenz des Mitleids,” Der Spiegel 33, 13.8.1984, 85.
28. Erich Follath, “Rettet diese Schiff,” Stern 42, 16.10.1980, 21–31.
29. Jochen Körner, “Die bittere Reise des guten Willens,” Hamburger Abendblatt 202, 30.8.1979, 17.
30. Norddeutscher Rundfunk [North German Broadcasting], “Panorama,” 5.8.1981, transcript in folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
31. Letter of Rupert Neudeck an Hans Benirschke, 27.7.81, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
32. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Enno von Loewenstern, 22.7.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; cf. also Letter to the editor of Rupert Neudeck, Süddeutsche Zeitung 1.8.1981 folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 – Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Ernst Albrecht, 29.7.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 – Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
33. Foreign Office: Report on the relief actions of Cap Anamur, 2.4.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
34. Neudeck, “Ein Schiff für Vietnam,” 82–3.
35. Jürgen Schilling, “Sind wir fremdenfeindliche, provinziell, vermufft oder gar rassistisch?,” Die Zeit 48, 21.11.1980, 64.
36. “Vietnamesen sind Auswanderer wie die Schlesier im 19. Jahrhundert,” transcript of an interview of Heribert Schwan with Jürgen Schilling, Deutschlandfunk, 23.6.1981 in folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
37. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Allrich Ellen, 29.7.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
38. Letter of Rupert Neudeck an Hans Benirschke, 27.7.81, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
39. Letter of Heinz Schumacher to Rupert Neudeck, 27.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
40. Letter of Hermann Josef Spital to Rupert Neudeck, 29.6.1981, Archiv Rupert Neudeck, Ordner Komitee bis 24.11.1981, Cap Anamur 1979–1981.
41. Erhard Haubold, “Fragen zum Rettungsschiff‚ Cap Anamur,” Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, no. 49, 27.2.1981:7.
42. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Allrich Ellen, 29.7.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
43. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Ernst Albrecht, 5.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
44. Rupert Neudeck, manuscript without title, 2.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
45. “Stellungnahme zu den Vorwürfen gegen das Komitee‚ Ein Schiff für Vietnam‘ und die Aktionen der Cap Anamur,” 9.2.81, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979-1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
46. Norddeutscher Rundfunk, “Panorama,” 5.8.1981, transcript in folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
47. Deutscher Bundestag — 9. Wahlperiode — 136. Sitzung. Bonn, Donnerstag, den 9.12.1982, S. 8417-8418.
48. Neudeck, “Ein Komitee ohne Apparat. Einige persönliche Bemerkungen,” 144–5.
49. “Das Sterben und Bedrohen geht weiter,” Der Spiegel 6, 6.2.1984, 86–92.
50. C. Neudeck, “Rückblick (1979),” 12; Neudeck, “Über die Mitarbeiter,” 18–22; Neudeck, “Ein Komitee ohne Apparat. Einige persönliche Bemerkungen,” 144–5.
51. Neudeck, Radikale Humanität, 117–20.
52. Contract between Cap Anamur and Somalia, 26.8.1981, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
53. Interview of the author with Rupert and Christel Neudeck, Troisdorf/Cologne, 15.11.2011.
54. P., “Vorschlag eines Konzeptes zur Arbeit im Hargeisa Hospital,” September 1982, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
55. Letter of S. to Rupert and Christel Neudeck, 16.9.1981, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
56. R., “Abschlussbericht General Hospital Hargeisa” 23.2.1984, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
57. D., cover letter to the “Abschlussbericht” 7.2.1984, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
58. Report of Rupert Neudeck on the situation in the Chad, January 1984, folder “Tschad,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
59. Hummen, “Wirtschaftliche Probleme Somalias zu Beginn der achtziger Jahre,” 163–175; “The Killer in the Aid Bag,” The Economist, 26.12.1981, 79–81; “Importieren ist Ieichter als produzieren. Der Hunger in Afrika (II): Somalia und Tansania - fehlgeleitete Hilfe,” Der Spiegel 30, 23 July 1984, 90–2.
60. “Somalia weiter am Tropf der Entwicklungshilfe,” December 1985, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Holzer, “Ein somalisches Flüchtlingslager.”
61. Neuhaus, “Somalias offene Wunde. Als Kinderarzt in den Flüchtlingslagern. Aufgaben und Erfahrungen,” 531–6; 81-08 Monthly Report of the project manager O., August 1981, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
62. Letter of W. Seraphim to the editor of “Quick,” 24.10.1980, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Monthly Report of the project manager O., August 1981, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Ure, “Keen heißt: Gib mir!,” 60–6.
63. Holzer, “Ein somalisches Flüchtlingslager.”
64. Project report of Rupert Neudeck, 1.8.1980, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
65. Letter of W. Seraphim to the editor of “Quick,” 24.10.1980, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
66. F. and M., “Bericht über ärztliche Tätigkeit,” January 1981, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
67. A., “Tuberculosis and its Treatment in North-West Somalia,” October 1982, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
68. B., “Vierteljahresbericht, Hartmut Strohmaier,” January 1983, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
69. C., “Bericht über die Arbeit im Tuberkulosekrankenhaus,” 17.7.1983, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
70. Ibid.
71. P., “Vorschlag eines Konzeptes zur Arbeit im Hargeisa Hospital,” September 1982, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
72. C., “Bericht über die Arbeit im Tuberkulosekrankenhaus,” 17.7.1983, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
73. Letter of A. to Jörg Runge, 16.10.1984, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
74. Last Team Report of Hargeisa General Hospital, February 1988, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
75. Ibid; cf. also “Vierteljahresbericht (5) Mental Ward,” 1.1. 1983, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
76. Ibid., 79.
77. Deutscher Bundestag Plenarprotokoll 8/120 (Stenographischer Bericht, 8. Wahlperiode, 120. Sitzung, Bonn, Donnerstag, den 30. November 1978) S. 9296.
78. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to M. von Arnim, 1.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Letter of Rupert Neudeck to Poul harting, 12.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Letter of Rüdiger Seifert an Rupert Neudeck, 18.5.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
79. Report of the Foreign Office, “Dienstreize von LS Weigel und Att. Schlüter nach Somalia anlässlich Hilfsflug der Bundeswehr vom 6.8. bis 11.8.1980,” 15.8.1980, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
80. Letter of W. Seraphim to the editor of “Quick,” 24.10.1980, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
81. Contract of Cap Anamur with Somalia, 28.8.1981, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck; Letter of Rupert Neudeck to the Somalian Minister of Health, 84-06-21, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
82. “Somalia weiter am Tropf der Entwicklungshilfe,” December 1985, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
83. Letter of Rupert Neudeck to the German Ambassador in Somali, 6.3.1986, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
84. Neudeck, Radikale Humanität, 117–20.
85. Spielberg, “Komitee Cap Anamur / Deutsche Not-Ärzte. Kritik Am Führungsstil Des Vorsitzenden,” A – 2225 – A – 2228.
86. Neuhaus, “Somalias offene Wunde. Als Kinderarzt in den Flüchtlingslagern,” 531–6.
87. P., “Vierteljahresbericht, Hargeisa General Hospital,” 4.1.1982, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
88. P., “Bericht über Tuberkolose Hospital,” folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
89. S., “Abschlussbericht General Hospital Hargeisa,” 23.2.1984, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
90. Friedhelm Neuhaus, “Somalias offene Wunde,” 531–6.
91. B., “Vierteljahresbericht,” January 1983, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
92. Ibid.
93. P., “Vierteljahresbericht, Hargeisa General Hospital,” 4.1.1982, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
94. Last Team Report of Hargeisa General Hospital, February 1988, folder “Somalia 2. 20.7.1982. 1994,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
95. Ibid.
96. “Vietnamesen sind Auswanderer wie die Schlesier im 19. Jahrhundert,” transcript of an interview of Heribert Schwan with Jürgen Schilling, Deutschlandfunk, 23.6.1981 in folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
97. Cable of the shipping company Voss to Rupert Neudeck, 18.5.81, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979-1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
98. Letter of Philippe Eberlin to Rupert Neudeck, 1.6.1981, folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
99. Paul Gravillon, “Lancenient à Lyon d’un Comité international contre la piraterie dans le golfe de Siam,” Le Progrès, 20.5.1981.
100. Ibid.; Jean-Claude Buhrer, “Le Drame des ‘Réfugiés de la Mer’. Des personnalités européennes et vietnamniennes forment un comité contre la piraterie,” Le Monde, 3/4.5.1981.
101. Cable of Rupert Neudeck to Edmond Kaiser, w.D. [July 1981], folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
102. “Komitee Telegramm Nr. 5”, 11.5.81., folder “Komitee bis 24.11.1981 - Cap Anamur 1979–1981,” Private Archive of Rupert and Christel Neudeck.
103. “Die dritte Cap Anamur fliegt. Jetzt sucht im Chinesischen Meer ein Flugzeug nach Flüchtlingen,” Hamburger Abendblatt 220, 21.09.1983, 7.
104. Fred de la Trobe, “Die Geschichte der Piraterie,” Hamburger Abendblatt 48, 25.02.1984, Journal.
105. Cutts, The State of the World’s Refugees 2000. Fifty Years of Humanitarian Action, 87.
106. Fassin, Humanitarian Reason, 243–56, here 254.
107. Ibid., 245.
108. Barnett, Empire of Humanity.
109. Klein, The Shock Doctrine.
110. McFalls, “Benevolent Dictatorship: The Formal Logic of Humanitarian Government.”
111. There is no history of these organizations yet so we have to rely on their scarce self-testimonies to approach their motives and the organizational development, cf. f. ex. Böhm, Mein Weg; German Doctors e.V., 30 Jahre Hilfe, die bleibt. German Doctors; “Entwicklungsgeschichte - Africa Action Deutschland e.V.” https://www.africa-action.de/cont_9.entwicklungsgeschichte.php (Accessed 29 July 2015).
112. Watenpaugh, Bread from Stones.
113. Fox, Doctors without Borders; Redfield, Life in Crisis.
114. Franks, Reporting Disasters; for contemporary witnesses cf. f. ex. Hall and Jacques, “People Aid. A New Politics Sweeps the Land;” Esther B. Fein, “Reports of Concert Aid Range up to $50 Million,” New York Times, 15 July 1985, C-18.
115. Gill, Famine and Foreigners, 45–62.
116. Dauvin and Siméant, Le Travail Humanitaire. Les Acteurs des ONG, du Siège au Terrain, 207–31; Dupuy, “L’Assistance Humanitaire comme Droit de l’Homme contre la Souveraineté de l’État.”
117. Strömberg, “Natural Disasters, Economic Development, and Humanitarian Aid;” cf. also Calhoun, “The Idea of Emergency. Humanitarian Action and Global (Dis)Order.”
118. For the case of CARE cf. Morris, A Gift from America; Wieters, “From Post-War Relief to Europe to Global Humanitarian Enterprize, CARE, Inc. (1945–1980).”
119. Fearon, “The Rise of Emergency Relief Aid.”
120. Kuhn, Humanitäre Hilfe der Europäischen Gemeinschaft, 228–62; Crisp, “Humanitarian Action and Coordination.”
121. Rigby, “Humanitarian Assistance and Conflict Management: The View from the Non-Governmental Sector;” Audet, “Humanitarian Space.”