Ben Ferencz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Ferencz
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Ferencz, c. 1947–1948
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| Born |
Benjamin Berell Ferencz
March 11, 1920 Csolt, Hungary (now Romania)
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| Died | April 7, 2023 (aged 103) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | |
| Known for | Prosecutor at the Einsatzgruppen trial |
| Spouse(s) |
Gertrude Fried
(m. 1946; died 2019) |
| Children | 4 |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Benjamin Berell Ferencz (March 11, 1920 – April 7, 2023) was an American lawyer. He became famous for investigating Nazi war crimes after World War II. He was the chief prosecutor for the United States Army at the Einsatzgruppen trial. This was one of the important Subsequent Nuremberg trials held in Nuremberg, Germany.
Later in his life, he worked hard to create an International Criminal Court. This court would help make sure that international laws are followed. He also taught international law at Pace University for many years.
Contents
Biography
Early life and education
Ben Ferencz was born on March 11, 1920, in a place called Ciolt. This area was in Hungary but later became part of Romania. His family was Jewish.
When Ben was only ten months old, his family moved to the United States. They wanted to escape unfair treatment of Jewish people in Romania.
The family settled in New York City. Ben studied crime prevention at the City College of New York. He earned a scholarship to Harvard Law School because of his excellent grades. At Harvard, he studied about war crimes. He finished his studies in 1943.
After college, he joined the United States Army. He started with simple jobs like typing and cleaning. In 1944, he served in an anti-aircraft unit.
In 1945, he was moved to General George S. Patton's US Third Army. His new job was to help set up a special team. This team would collect evidence of war crimes. He was sent to look at the concentration camps that the US Army had freed.
Nuremberg trial prosecutor
In late 1945, Ferencz left the Army. He was then asked to join the legal team for the Subsequent Nuremberg trials. These trials were held to bring Nazi criminals to justice. He became the chief prosecutor for the Einsatzgruppen case. This was his very first case as a prosecutor.
All 22 people on trial were found guilty. This trial was a big step for international justice.
After the Nuremberg Trials, Ferencz stayed in Germany with his wife, Gertrude. They had married in New York in 1946. He helped set up programs to help victims of the Nazis. He also helped with talks that led to agreements for Germany to pay back victims. In 1956, he and his family, including their four children, moved back to the US.
Later years
Ben Ferencz continued to work for justice around the world. In 2009, he received the Erasmus Prize. This award honors people who make important contributions to culture and society.
He strongly supported the International Criminal Court. He believed it was very important for international law. In 2017, a path next to the Peace Palace in The Hague was named after him. This showed how much he was respected for his work in international justice.
In 2018, a documentary about his life called Prosecuting Evil was released on Netflix. He also appeared in other documentaries.
On June 20, 2019, an artist created a bust (a sculpture of his head and shoulders) to honor him. This celebrated his life's work against genocide.
He became 100 years old in March 2020. In 2021, he received the Pahl Peace Prize.
In March 2022, his words were played at a special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. He also spoke about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He said that leaders who commit war crimes should be held responsible. He was very sad about the terrible things happening in Ukraine.
In April 2022, he received the Governor's Medal of Freedom in Florida. In December 2022, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States.
Personal life
In 1946, Ben Ferencz married his childhood sweetheart, Gertrude Fried. They were married for 73 years until she passed away in 2019. They had four children together.
Ben Ferencz died on April 7, 2023, at the age of 103. He was the last living prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials.
Lectures
- "The Evolution of International Criminal Law – A Personal Account" in the Lecture Series of the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
Awards
- 1980: National Jewish Book Award for his book Less Than Slaves.
- 2021: Honorary Doctorate from the University of Cologne.
- 2021: Awardee of the Pahl Peace Prize in Liechtenstein.
- 2022: Governor's Medal of Freedom of the State of Florida.
See also
In Spanish: Ben Ferencz para niños
