Francis Lieber
On the occasion of Francis Lieber's 200th doctoral anniversary and the 150th anniversary of his death, the first Francis Lieber Lecture on International Law took place on November 30, 2022 in the "Großer Rosensaal" of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The inaugural lecture in the new series was given by Prof. Dr. Heike Krieger, Professor for International and Public Law at Freie Universität Berlin, on the topic "Freed from the Shackles of International Law? On the Role of Law in the 'New World Disorder'." In it, against the backdrop of the Ukraine war, she posed the question of whether "a realistic policy for the 21st century must break free from the shackles of self-imposed international law dogma" (Carlo Masala). Is it politically naïve to still argue for the efficacy of an international law that has evolved since 1945 and is therefore perhaps no longer suitable for the "new world disorder" characterized by competition and conflict instead of cooperation?
Speaker Heike Krieger at the lectern during her presentation
Image: Deborah ZehThe recordingExternal link of the lecture is available on the YouTube channel of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Following up on this lecture, Prof. Dr. Thomas Kleinlein and Dr. Michael Westland (Managing Director of Democratic FuturesExternal link and diplomat in his main profession) conducted an interview with Prof. Dr. Heike Krieger on the topic of the lecture, which can be listened to on the common audio streaming platforms, including under this link.External link
The second Francis Lieber Lecture on International Law is expected to be held in the fall of 2023. Further information will follow.
The Francis Lieber Lecture
In honour and in memory of Francis Lieber, the Francis Lieber Lecture on International Law, initiated in 2022, annually invites renowned international law scholars to lecture at the University of Jena to bring the latest developments in international law to the university and city public. Francis (originally "Franz") Lieber, born in Berlin in 1798, was a German-American jurist, political philosopher and diplomat. As a young liberal activist who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and the Greek Revolution, he arrived at the University of Jena, where he received his doctorate in July 1820. After emigrating to the United States in 1827, he became well known there, among other things as the founder of the Encyclopedia Americana. Francis Lieber is known throughout the world as the author of the Lieber Code of 1863, the first written set of rules on methods of warfare that applied to the Union forces in the American Civil War and was later adopted by other military organizations. Ultimately, the "Lieber Code" formed the basis for the emergence of international humanitarian law, such as the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907. Ahead of his time, Lieber recognized the need for a binding code of conduct to alleviate the devastating consequences of war, especially for civilians, and to ensure the humane treatment of prisoners of war. After the Civil War, Lieber served as a diplomatic negotiator and arbitrator between the United States and Mexico. In addition, he collaborated with scholars of international law such as J. C. Bluntschli, whose 1868 work "Das moderne Völkerrecht der civilisirten Staten" ("Modern International Law of Civilized States"), considered the first German-language attempt at codifying international law, Lieber inspired. Thus, Francis Lieber is not only one of the founders of international humanitarian law, but also shaped and inspired international law beyond the law of war. A worldly free spirit, immigrant, philosopher, and diplomat, he stands for the advancement of the global community through the promotion of an international legal consciousness.