In Lviv, at 4 Hrushevskoho Street, next to the building housing the Biology and Geology Faculties of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, a commemorative plaque dedicated to the Lviv School of International Law and its outstanding jurists has been unveiled. It was in this building that the Faculty of Law of Lviv University operated from 1851 to 1923.
Among those who once studied at the faculty were renowned lawyers Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin, whose work significantly influenced the development of international justice. Lauterpacht formulated and introduced into global practice the concept of “crimes against humanity”, while Lemkin coined the term “genocide”. Both concepts were officially applied for the first time at the Nuremberg Trials in 1945.
Taking part in the ceremonial opening were the Mayor of Lviv Andriy Sadovyi, his First Deputy Andriy Moskalenko, First Vice-Rector of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv Andriy Hukalyuk, as well as representatives of the university community, the clergy, civil society organisations and councillors.
The special guest of the event was Anglo-French lawyer, Professor of Law and Director of the Centre for International Courts and Tribunals at University College London, Philippe Sands. He researches crimes committed during the Second World War and is the author of the book “East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity”, in which, through the stories of Lauterpacht and Lemkin, he traces the roots of modern international law. Sands has Lviv roots — his grandfather was born in Lviv in 1904 and, despite security risks, he comes to Ukraine every year.
“I want to express my solidarity with you and honour those extraordinary people who make the greatest sacrifice every day to defend the values associated with this building… The struggle that Ukraine is waging is a struggle for the principles and values of all humanity. For these daily sacrifices, the world must be grateful to you forever. I am proud that my roots come from this remarkable city,” said Philippe Sands.
Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi stressed that installing the commemorative marker at this particular location is symbolic, as it was here that ideas were shaped which later became part of international law. He highlighted the role of jurists connected with Lviv in the struggle between good and evil and in defending the freedom of nations, and he thanked Philippe Sands for his consistent support of Ukraine.
In addition to Lauterpacht and Lemkin, the commemorative stele also mentions other prominent lecturers and graduates of the Faculty of Law: Maurycy Allerhand, Roman Longchamps de Bérier, Manfred Lachs, Jan Karski, Louis Sohn and Stanisław Starzyński.
First Vice-Rector of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv Andriy Hukalyuk underlined that the history of Lviv is closely intertwined with that of the university, within whose walls many eminent figures studied and worked, including Ivan Franko and Mykhailo Hrushevsky. He expressed the hope that today’s students will continue to develop the system of international law and shape the science of the future.
Earlier, one of the streets in Lviv was renamed in honour of Raphael Lemkin, thus commemorating his contribution to the formation of modern international law.