Those of you who have attended my presentations on From Day to Day know of the spectacularly successful career enjoyed by Thomas Buergenthal: Justice, International Court of Justice at The Hague; Judge, Inter-American Court of Human Rights; United Nations Human Rights Committee; United Nations Truth Commission for El Salvador; Dean, Washington College of Law, American University; Elie Wiesel Award, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (the Museum’s highest honor).
Did you also know he was once a track star?
I have written (here, here, here and here) about the role of serendipity/coincidence in my journey with Odd Nansen’s diary. Recently, while on a book tour, I gave a presentation in Somerset, NJ. In the middle of my talk a gentleman in the rear of the audience stood and raised his hand. I asked if he could hold his question until the end of my talk, when I would be happy to entertain it. When my talk ended, I saw the hand go up again and immediately called upon him.
The gentleman did not have a question at all, but rather some information to share: he had attended the same high school in the early 1950s as Tom Buergenthal—Paterson East High School. In fact, the two were classmates together.
Dr. Don Zimmerman, a retired dentist, then offered to retrieve his old high school yearbook. Sure enough, there was Don’s picture in the yearbook—the Senior Mirror 1953—along with Tom’s.
As can be seen, each photo was accompanied by a short write-up, containing answers that each student must have been asked to complete. The first, undoubtedly, was: “What do you want to do after leaving Paterson High School?” Tom certainly fulfilled his goal: “To be a lawyer and travel.” Another of the questionnaire’s inquiries must have been: “What is your pet peeve?” Tom’s simple answer: “Questionnaires.” We also learn that Tom was “well-liked” and “from Germany.” Here’s Tom’s graduation photo. Pay particular attention to the final entry in his write-up—none other than “From Day to Day.”
In our post-presentation conversation, Don Zimmerman also remembered being on the track team with Tom. When I later called Tom to relay my meeting with an old classmate, I asked him about his track experience. Yes, Tom admitted, he was on the school’s track team for a bit—as a sprinter no less—but soon realized that there were other more talented runners in the student body.
Nevertheless, he admitted, he did once win third place—in the 100-yard dash—in a school track meet.
Then Tom chuckled, and rather wryly observed, “Imagine what I might have been able to do if I had had all my toes.”
