Early life Paul Reuter was born on 12 February 1911 in Metz, He began his long teaching career at the University of Nancy in the mid-1930s and was later on the university law faculties of Poitiers, Aix-en-Provence, Paris, and the
Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. •
Droit International public (5th ed. 1976), •
Institutions internationals (8th ed. 1965), •
Institutions et relations internationals (2nd ed. 1988), •
Introduction au droit des traités (3rd ed. 1990). His book on the law of treaties (
Introduction au droit des traités) is viewed as a "classic" work. This volume, and Reuter's book on international organizations (
Institutions internationals) "are regarded as authoritative by academic and government circles alike." He represented France before the
Court of Justice of the European Communities and the
European Court of Human Rights. The Balzan Prize is "one of the most prestigious international awards in natural science and humanities" and, in 2020, was worth 750,000 Swiss francs (about US$800,000). During 1985 and 1986, Reuter was President of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning
Institute of International Law (
Institut de Droit International). In 1986 Reuter received the World Academy of Art & Science
Rufus Jones Award for Contributions to World Peace and International Understanding. Death and legacy Paul Reuter died on 29 April 1990 at the age of 79. He believes "It was not exaggeration to say that, without him, the European Communities would not have appeared in their present form, or would have been established only much later." Also, Reuter's contribution to the modern law of treaties and the law of international organizations will leave "indelible imprints on legal history" according to
Bola Ajibola, speaking on behalf of the African country members of the UN's International Law Commission. Ajibola noted Reuter aspired to make international law "free from injustice and intended to serve the interest of both developed and developing counties, while protecting the weak from the strong." A donation by Reuter in 1981 enabled the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to establish the
Paul Reuter Prize to encourage research in, and the promotion of, international humanitarian law. == See also ==