International Law and Justice Working Papers - IILJ
International Law and Justice Working Papers - IILJ
International Law and Justice Working Papers - IILJ
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This is a thoroughly erudite study but also a highly interesting work from the methodological<br />
point of view. At the outset, Bulmerincq gives an explanation about why he turns to the history:<br />
it must be found out whether according to international law, States can offer asylum to citizens<br />
of other States. “Recently, extradition treaties have been concluded between States but they are<br />
not sufficient since constrained with time <strong>and</strong> not binding to non-members. The general norm<br />
has yet to be established. (…) To observe this development <strong>and</strong> to tie to it a future development is<br />
a purpose of this work that should prove the unconditional obligation of all States to extradite<br />
fugitive criminals. But how can one best accomplish this task? The historical development has to<br />
be taken as the basis of observation.” 56<br />
It is astonishing that Bulmerincq already explains<br />
beforeh<strong>and</strong> what the ultimate outcome of his turn to the history would be, what the history<br />
should demonstrate. He does not leave it open whether there exists such an unconditional<br />
obligation to extradite or not. Here, history serves a classical teleological purpose: to prove a<br />
particular claim or thesis. Bulmerincq’s approach to the history of international law was<br />
generally teleological: the historical foundation of international law was supposed to raise the<br />
potential of <strong>and</strong> respect for the discipline. 57 Already in his “Systematic de Völkerrechts” (1858)<br />
Bulmerincq insisted that “In the current problems of international law, the deniers of this law<br />
may not even present the biggest problem: the main guilt has the scholarship because it has not<br />
done what it had to do: to demonstrate positive international law historically <strong>and</strong> through that as<br />
non-attackable. 58<br />
56 P. 9.<br />
57 See e.g. Bulmerincq, Brief an die Dorpater Juristen-Facultät anlässlich der Glückwünsche zum Doktorjubiläum,<br />
Wiesbaden, 14. Mai 1881: „Überhaupt aber war der Unterzeichnete bemüht die Bedeutung der publizistischen<br />
Fächer zu heben, indem er einerseits sie zu systematisieren und <strong>and</strong>ererseits auf historischer Basis aufzurichten<br />
trachtete.“ Tartu University Archive.<br />
58 Bulmerincq, Die Systematik des Völkerrechts, I Teil, Dorpat: Karow, 1858, p. 3.