Raphael Lemkin: The Constant Negotiator

Abstract

Raphael Lemkin (June 24, 1900–August 28, 1959) was a lawyer, a Polish Jew, a refugee, a humanitarian, and most of all, an extraordinary negotiator. He dedicated his entire life toward the criminalization of genocide under international law. Lemkin achieved a lot in his short life, especially considering the slow evolution of international law. Most significantly, in 1945, he persuaded Nuremberg’s prosecutors to add the word “genocide” to one of the indictments against Nazi leaders. Following the Nuremberg trials, he lobbied states to adopt a United Nations (U.N.) Convention on Genocide, which he successfully did by 1948. After its adoption by the U.N., Lemkin then launched a massive campaign to convince states to ratify the Genocide Convention, which came into force in 1951. This article analyzes the negotiation techniques and strategies that Lemkin successfully employed in pursuit of his goals.