Jacob Robinson

Jacob Robinson (1889–1977) fought for the universal validity of human rights and for inscribing minority protection into international law.

Das Bild zeigt einen älteren Mann mit nachdenklichem Gesichtsausdruck. Er trägt einen Anzug und eine Fliege. Der Hintergrund ist dunkel, was den Fokus auf sein Gesicht lenkt.
© US Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Karin Sibrava-Cherches
Jacob Robinson, place and date unknown.

Prior to World War I, Robinson studied Law in Warsaw. In 1922, Robinson was elected into the Lithuanian parliament as a Jewish representative. Later on, he became a delegate to the Congress of European Nationalities in Geneva. In 1940, Robinson fled to New York. There he was active in rebuilding the Jewish Scientific Institute (YIVO), initially founded in Vilna. Robinson headed the Institute of Jewish Affairs, which collected and dispersed information about the state of affairs for Jews in Europe.

Vertragstext der Vereinten Nationen, datiert 29. November 1946. Der Vertrag beschreibt die Rechte und Pflichten eines Sozialbeamten, einschließlich der Kündigungsbedingungen und Reisebestimmungen. Es enthält Unterschriften und offizielle Briefkopfdetails.
© US Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Karin Sibrava-Cherches
Robinson’s appointment as United Nations Social Affairs officer, 1946.

In 1945, he supported US Chief-Prosecutor Robert Jackson during the Nuremberg trials. Robinson also prepared the UN Commission on Human Rights. Additionally, he advised the Israeli delegation to the UN. In 1952, Robinson provided his services in drafting the Luxemburg agreement, the first reparation treaty between Israel, the Jewish Claims Commission (JCC) and Germany. Robinson coordinated the efforts of various Jewish organizations that took legal actions against the perpetrators of the Holocaust. His legal expertise was instrumental in the trial of Adolf Eichmann in 1961/62.

Robinson authored numerous studies on international law and the Holocaust. In 1960, together with Philip Friedman, he published the extensive bibliography Guide to Jewish Histor y Under Nazi Impact.

Dokument mit der Überschrift „Vereinbarung zwischen dem Staat Israel und der Bundesrepublik Deutschland“. Es handelt sich um einen Vertrag, der sich mit der Entschädigung und der Unterstützung von jüdischen Flüchtlingen befasst. Enthält rechtliche Abschnitte und Artikel zur Umsetzung der Vereinbarung.
© Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Karin Sibrava-Cherches
A part of the contract of reparations between Israel, the Claims Conference and Germany, which was negotiated in 1942. Robinson was tasked with drafting the treaty.