Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award

The Wolfgang Friedmann Memorial Award is presented annually by the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of international law.  

The award is given in memory of the Journal’s founder, Professor Wolfgang G. Friedmann. A native of Germany, Professor Friedmann immigrated to the United States shortly after the Nazis seized power. As a jurist, scholar, teacher and humanist, Professor Friedmann was a relentless advocate for the practical realization of an international rule of law.  In addition to his prolific scholarship, Professor Friedmann’s courageous condemnation of the unconscionable use of force during the early years of the German Nazi regime vividly illustrated the strength of his moral conviction and compassion. He was an invaluable member of the Columbia Law School community, where he taught from 1955 until his death in 1972.