Thomas Buergenthal is an American jurist and professor of international law who is best known for his work in the field of human rights. Born on May 11, 1934, in Czechoslovakia, he is a Holocaust survivor and has dedicated much of his life to human rights advocacy and legal scholarship. Buergenthal served as a judge on several international courts, most notably the International Court of Justice in The Hague from 2000 to 2010. He has also served on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the United Nations Truth Commission for El Salvador. Alongside his judicial career, he has been a professor at various law schools and has written extensively on international law and human rights, including a memoir about his childhood experiences during the Holocaust. His work has been influential in the development and enforcement of international human rights law.