▁in ▁Frankfurt ▁am ▁Main , ▁Germany , ▁and ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁West ▁Germany ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 ▁as ▁the ▁Gesellschaft ▁für ▁Menschen re chte ▁( G FM ), ▁with ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁prom oting ▁international ▁understanding ▁and ▁toler ance ▁in ▁all ▁areas ▁of ▁culture ▁and ▁society ▁and ▁so ▁was ▁committed ▁from ▁its ▁in ception ▁to ▁only ▁support ▁individuals ▁who ▁share ▁this ▁principle ▁and , ▁consequ ently , ▁st rive ▁non - vi ol ently ▁for ▁their ▁rights . ▁The ▁initi ator ▁was ▁I wan ▁I . ▁Agr us ow , ▁a ▁former ▁Russian ▁forced ▁labor er , ▁who ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁West ▁Germany ▁after ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁former ▁forced ▁labor ers ▁in ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁( many ▁of ▁them ▁were ▁sent ▁to ▁Gul ag ▁upon ▁returning ). ▁ ▁The ▁society ▁became ▁the ▁International ▁Society ▁for ▁Human ▁Rights ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁with ▁the ▁found ing ▁of ▁branches ▁in ▁Austria , ▁Switzerland , ▁the ▁UK ▁and ▁France . ▁Since ▁then ▁it ▁has ▁grown ▁to ▁include ▁ 3 5 ▁National ▁Se ctions , ▁National ▁Gr oups , ▁Regional ▁Comm itte es ▁and ▁Aff ili ated ▁Organ is ations ▁world wide . ▁ ▁Well ▁known ▁members ▁of ▁I SH R ▁include ▁West ▁German ▁Chan cell or ▁Ludwig ▁Er hard , ▁former ▁Aust ro - H ung arian ▁Crown ▁Prince ▁Otto ▁von ▁H abs burg , ▁former ▁Att orney ▁General ▁of ▁Germany ▁Ludwig ▁Martin ▁and ▁Chinese ▁human ▁rights ▁activ ist ▁Harry ▁Wu . ▁ ▁During