Fyodor Martens, Russian Jurist and Diplomat

In: International affairs: a Russian journal of world politics, diplomacy and international relations, Band 55, Heft 5, S. 189-193

Abstract

The author commemorates the 100th anniversary of Fyodor Martens death through examining the diplomat and jurists life and achievements. The article discusses several university locations where Martens works are found, including Harvard University and the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. Through highlights from the diplomats life, the author states heads of state sought his advice on many territorial disputes, but is best remembered for the First Hague Congress, which included the Convention on Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, the Laws and Customs of War on Land, and Adaptation to Maritime Warfare Principles of the Geneva Convention of 1864, among other declarations regarding warfare. Martens also created two key descriptions of Russian international private law regarding the civilian-legal nature and the international element such as the legal status of the Caspian Sea. Unfortunately, as the author states, the Soviets did not favor martens, excluding the diplomat and jurist from their writings; however, in 1993 a book was published titled S palmovoy vetvyu mira. F.F. Martens yurist, diplomat, publicist and an English edition, Our Martens: F.F. Martens. International Lawyer and Architect of Peace. Adapted from the source document.