Peter Schlechtriem
Encyclopedia
Peter Schlechtriem was a German jurisprudential scholar.
(Germany) and studied law at the University of Hamburg
and the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg. After having passed both his State Examinations in law, he in 1964 received the title of Doctor iuris from the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg for his dissertation on foreign inheritance law. In 1965 the University of Chicago Law School
awarded him a Master of Comparative Law. Peter Schlechtriem subsequently returned to Freiburg where in 1970 he completed his Habilitation with a substantial book on the relationship between liability in contracts and tort, written under the supervision of Ernst von Caemmerer.
In 1971 he was offered professorships at both the University of Erlangen and the University of Heidelberg. He accepted the chair in Heidelberg, where he headed the Institute for Foreign and International Private Law. In 1977, he accepted a professorship in Freiburg and became the successor of his academic teacher Ernst von Caemmerer. When being offered a chair by the University of Vienna
(Austria) in 1984, he declined.
Peter Schlechtriem served on numerous international commissions. He was a member of the German delegation at the Diplomatic Conference in Vienna that adopted the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods
in 1980. During the creation of the new Civil Codes of Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Slovakia, he acted as a consultant and advisor. Peter Schlechtriem was a member if the Commission for the Reform of the German Law of contracts (Kommission zur Reform des deutschen Schuldrechts) and thus exercised considerable influence on the new general law of contracts and law of sales in force in Germany since 2002. He acted as a member of the German Council on International Private Law, of the UNIDROIT
Working Group on the development of the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts 2004, of the Study Group for a European Civil Code and was an Advisor of both the American Law Institute
and the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws in the United States.
From 1990 until 1997, Peter Schlechtriem was President of the German Gesellschaft für Rechtsvergleichung. He served as the first Chairman of the CISG Advisory Council (from 2001 unil 2004).
, Harvard Law School
, Victoria University of Wellington
, the University of Fribourg
(Switzerland), the University of Zurich
and Oxford University. In 1995 he received a Doctorate honoris causa from the University of Basle, and in 2002 a Doctorate honoris causa from the University of Tartu
(Estonia). He became a Fellow of St. Catherine’s College in Oxford
in 2001. Peter Schlechtriem was a member of the International Academy of Comparative Law. On occasion of his 70th birthday in 2003, he was presented with a substantial Festschrift
.
Biography
Peter H. Schlechtriem was born March 2, 1933 in JenaJena
Jena is a university city in central Germany on the river Saale. It has a population of approx. 103,000 and is the second largest city in the federal state of Thuringia, after Erfurt.-History:Jena was first mentioned in an 1182 document...
(Germany) and studied law at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
and the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg. After having passed both his State Examinations in law, he in 1964 received the title of Doctor iuris from the Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg for his dissertation on foreign inheritance law. In 1965 the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
awarded him a Master of Comparative Law. Peter Schlechtriem subsequently returned to Freiburg where in 1970 he completed his Habilitation with a substantial book on the relationship between liability in contracts and tort, written under the supervision of Ernst von Caemmerer.
In 1971 he was offered professorships at both the University of Erlangen and the University of Heidelberg. He accepted the chair in Heidelberg, where he headed the Institute for Foreign and International Private Law. In 1977, he accepted a professorship in Freiburg and became the successor of his academic teacher Ernst von Caemmerer. When being offered a chair by the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
(Austria) in 1984, he declined.
Work
Peter Schlechtriem's academic work focused on the law of contracts, comparative law and international uniform law. His two textbooks on the German law of contracts, contributions to commentaries and numerous articles have significantly influenced the development of the law in Germany and abroad. His article-by-article commentary on the 1980 Vienna Sales Convention (CISG), published both the German and in English, has been particularly successful. Peter Schlechtriem's writings have been translated into a number of languages.Peter Schlechtriem served on numerous international commissions. He was a member of the German delegation at the Diplomatic Conference in Vienna that adopted the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods
United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods
The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is a treaty offering a uniform international sales law that, as of August 2010, has been ratified by 77 countries that account for a significant proportion of world trade, making it one of the most successful...
in 1980. During the creation of the new Civil Codes of Estonia, Lithuania, Russia and Slovakia, he acted as a consultant and advisor. Peter Schlechtriem was a member if the Commission for the Reform of the German Law of contracts (Kommission zur Reform des deutschen Schuldrechts) and thus exercised considerable influence on the new general law of contracts and law of sales in force in Germany since 2002. He acted as a member of the German Council on International Private Law, of the UNIDROIT
UNIDROIT
The International Institute for the Unification of Private Law, also known as UNIDROIT, is an independent intergovernmental Organisation based in Rome, Italy...
Working Group on the development of the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts 2004, of the Study Group for a European Civil Code and was an Advisor of both the American Law Institute
American Law Institute
The American Law Institute was established in 1923 to promote the clarification and simplification of American common law and its adaptation to changing social needs. The ALI drafts, approves, and publishes Restatements of the Law, Principles of the Law, model codes, and other proposals for law...
and the National Conference of Commissioners of Uniform State Laws in the United States.
From 1990 until 1997, Peter Schlechtriem was President of the German Gesellschaft für Rechtsvergleichung. He served as the first Chairman of the CISG Advisory Council (from 2001 unil 2004).
Honours and International Recognition
Peter Schlechtriem served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Chicago Law SchoolUniversity of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
, Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, the University of Fribourg
University of Fribourg
The University of Fribourg is a university in the city of Fribourg, Switzerland.The roots of the University can be traced back to 1582, when the notable Jesuit Peter Canisius founded the Collège Saint-Michel in the City of Fribourg. In 1763, an Academy of law was founded by the state of Frobourg...
(Switzerland), the University of Zurich
University of Zurich
The University of Zurich , located in the city of Zurich, is the largest university in Switzerland, with over 25,000 students. It was founded in 1833 from the existing colleges of theology, law, medicine and a new faculty of philosophy....
and Oxford University. In 1995 he received a Doctorate honoris causa from the University of Basle, and in 2002 a Doctorate honoris causa from the University of Tartu
University of Tartu
The University of Tartu is a classical university in the city of Tartu, Estonia. University of Tartu is the national university of Estonia; it is the biggest and highest-ranked university in Estonia...
(Estonia). He became a Fellow of St. Catherine’s College in Oxford
St Catherine's College, Oxford
St Catherine's College, often called Catz, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its motto is Nova et Vetera...
in 2001. Peter Schlechtriem was a member of the International Academy of Comparative Law. On occasion of his 70th birthday in 2003, he was presented with a substantial Festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
.
Selected publications
- Schlechtriem, Vertragsordnung und außervertragliche Haftung, Frankfurt am Main (1972)
- Schlechtriem & Schwenzer, Kommentar zum Einheitlichen UN-Kaufrecht - CISG -, 4th ed., Munich: C.H. Beck (2004), ISBN 978-3-406-51565-1
- Schlechtriem, Commentary on the UN Convention on the International Sale of Goods, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press (2005), ISBN 978-3-406-53144-6
- Schlechtriem, Internationales UN-Kaufrecht, 4th ed., Tübingen: Mohr (2007), ISBN 978-3-16-149277-8