Remembering the Life of Thomas Buergenthal Thomas Buergenthal, an internationally renowned human rights lawyer and one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, passed away at the age of 89. Buergenthal’s life was defined by his efforts to fight against war crimes and genocide, having emerged from the atrocities he experienced during World War II with the drive to help those affected by similar injustices.
Buergenthal’s Early Life Buergenthal was born on May 11, 1934, into a Jewish family that had emigrated to Czechoslovakia in the 1930s to escape Nazi persecution. When Germany occupied Czechoslovakia, the family fled to Poland, where they were again seized by German occupation forces. The family was then deported to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp in 1944, where Buergenthal was separated from his family. Despite the odds, he managed to survive the camp and a death march to another concentration camp, where he was liberated at the end of the war. He was one of the youngest survivors of Auschwitz, as the camp’s children were typically killed in gas chambers upon arrival.
Buergenthal’s Career as a Human Rights Lawyer After immigrating to the United States with his mother in 1951, Buergenthal studied law and became an expert in the fields of human rights and international law. He worked as a professor at several prestigious universities and was eventually appointed to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, by the United States. Buergenthal spent the rest of his life fighting against war crimes, human rights abuses, and genocide, including serving on truth commissions and other organizations dedicated to holding governments accountable for such atrocities.
Buergenthal’s Legacy Buergenthal’s life and work have had a profound impact on human rights and international law. His dedication to justice and reconciliation has been an inspiration to countless people around the world, and his legacy will undoubtedly continue to shape the future of human rights. The city of Göttingen, where Buergenthal lived for several years after World War II, has praised his lifelong commitment to human rights and expressed its condolences for his passing. Ultimately, Buergenthal will be remembered as a courageous and compassionate advocate for those who have been denied justice and basic human rights.
