The symposium issue on arbitration is dedicated to the work and memory of Vratislav Pechota. “Vrat” was a dedicated scholar and humanitarian. He loved his wife and family, caring devotedly for his first spouse during a long illness. As a younger man, he suffered the oppression of totalitarianism and eventually died from the effects of its insults to the human personality. He gained refuge at Columbia University School of Law through the good offices of the Parker School then its International Arbitration Center and the tutelage of Hans Smit. His voluminous work on arbitration is unparalleled in breadth and intricacy. Vrat made a monumental contribution to the study of arbitration. His spirit prevails; it could not be extinguished by communist dictators or dispelled by death.
For an extensive account of his life and work, see Vratislav Pechota Curriculum Vitae, 15 Am. Rev. Int’l Arb. (2004).