Ben Ferencz '43, the last surviving Nuremberg prosecutor, has spent his life advocating for law, not war. In 1947, at the age of 27, Ferencz served as chief prosecutor for the United States in the Einsatzgruppen Case at the Nuremberg Tribunal, in which 22 Nazi officials, including six generals, were charged with murdering more than 1 million people. All were convicted, and 13 were sentenced to death. The International Military Tribunals at Nuremberg are widely regarded to have changed the course of history. The term “genocide” was coined during the tribunals and the concept of crimes against humanity began to emerge. In 2014, Ferencz, known for his role at Nuremberg and for his work promoting an international rule of law and the creation of an International Criminal Court, was awarded Harvard Law School’s highest honor: the Medal of Freedom. In this video, Ferencz reflects on his life's work advocating for law, not war.
For more information on Benjamin Ferencz visit www.benferencz.org and NurembergLegacy
Interview: Chris Jennings
Camera: Martin Albert
Editing: Lorin Granger