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Leo Baeck Medal

The Leo Baeck Medal is the highest honor that Leo Baeck Institute bestows on those who have made extraordinary efforts to preserve the memory of German-speaking Jews.

2023

Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, Bernie Blum

Actors and Activists and LBI Trustee and former President

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2022

Ambassador Dr. Amy Gutmann

Ambassador of the United States of America to the Federal Republic of Germany

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2021

His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmeier

President of the Federal Republic of Germany

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2020

Rabbi Dr. Ronald B. Sobel

President Emeritus, Leo Baeck Institute

2019

Professor Martha Minow

300th Anniversary University Professor and former Dean, Harvard Law School

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2018

Ambassador Peter Wittig & Mrs. Huberta von Voss-Wittig

Former Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United States of America

Journalist

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2017

Mr. Max Warburg

Vice Chairman of M.M. Warburg & Co.

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2016

Mr. Robert M. Morgenthau

Former District Attorney for New York County

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2015

Professor Ismar Schorsch

Chancellor Emeritus of Jewish Theological Seminary, President Emeritus of Leo Baeck Institute

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Dr. Eric R. Kandel

University Professor, Kavli Professor in Brain Science, and co-Director for the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute at Columbia University

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2014

Dr. Josef Joffe

Publisher, Die Zeit, Trustee of Leo Baeck Institute

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Ambassador Stuart E. Eizenstat

Special Representative of the President and Secretary of State on Holocaust-Era Issues

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His Excellency Joachim Gauck

Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany

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2010

Her Excellency Angela Merkel

Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. Medal Awarded by W. Michael Blumenthal.

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Maestro Kurt Masur

Former Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, Former Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra

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2009

The Honorable Joschka Fischer

German Federal Foreign Minister. Medal awarded by James D. Wolfensohn & Dr. Henry Kissinger

2008

Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger

Director of Government Affairs, Allianz SE, Munich, Former German Ambassador to the US and UK. Medal awarded by James D. Wolfensohn & Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke.

2007

Dr. Mathias Döpfner

Chief Executive Officer of Axel Springer AG. Medal awarded by Dr. Henry Kissinger.

2006

Mr. James D. Wolfensohn

Chairman of Citigroup’s International Advisory Board, Former President of the World Bank. Medal awarded by Bundespräsident Dr. Horst Köhler.

2005

Dr. Otto Schily

German Federal Minister of the Interior. Medal awarded by Dr. Henry Kissinger

2004

Dr. Fritz Stern

Professor Emeritus, Department of History, Columbia University. Medal awarded by Joschka Fischer.

2003

Mr. Daniel Libeskind

Architect, Jewish Museum Berlin. Medal awarded by W. Michael Blumenthal.

2002

Dr. Ruth Westheimer

Therapist and author

2001

His Excellency Dr. Johannes Rau

President of the Federal Republic of Germany

2000

Mr. Edgar Bronfman

President, World Jewish Congress, Chairman, Seagram Company, Ltd.

1999

The Honorable Dr. W. Michael Blumenthal

President and CEO of the Jewish Museum, Berlin. Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury

1998

Dr. George L. Mosse

Professor of History, University of Wisconsin and Hebrew University in Israel

1997

Dr. Helmut Sonnenfeldt

Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution, Senior Staff Member of the National Security Council

1996

Mr. Ernst Cramer

Senior Editorial Writer for Springer Publications, Former Chairman of the Board of Axel Springer Foundation

1995

Mr. Fred Grubel

LBI Secretary and Vice President (1969–1995)

1980

Mr. Fred Lessing

Chairman of the Board of LBI, Treasurer (1960–1990)

1979

Mr. Axel Springer

Founder, Axel Springer Verlag, Berlin