What Place for Jus Cogens? How Manfred Lachs Foresaw New Thinking in International Space Law

Manfred Lachs was a golden personality at the intersection of international and space law. He was a renowned Polish diplomat and academic born in 1914. As a member of the International Law Commission (ILC) between 1962 and 1966, he contributed significantly to the initial stages of the study on peremptory norms of international law when he participated in the work on the law of treaties. In 1966, he was appointed as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and was elected as the President in 1973. Significant decisions rendered during those years include the Barcelona Traction Case1 (1970) and the Namibia Advisory Opinion2 (1971); both landmarks in the jurisprudence and development of erga omnes obligations.