Leo-Baeck-Medal

• Name — Leo Baeck Medal • Awarded For — Helping preserve the spirit of German-speaking Jewry in culture, academia, politics, and philanthropy. • Sponsor — Leo Baeck Institute of New York City • Date — Annually • Description — The highest honor bestowed byb the Leo Baeck Institute of New York City • Holder Label — Most recent recipient(s) • Holder — Wolf Blitzer and Kati Marton (2025) • Reward — Gold-bronze medal depicting Rabbi Leo Baeck • Location — New York City • Country — United States

• Illustration — Edgar Bronfman, Sr. • Illustration — Ruth Westheimer • Illustration — Martha Minow • 1978 – Axel Springer, publisher, founder of Axel Springer • 1980 – Fred Lessing, chairman and treasurer of Leo Baeck Institut New York • 1995 – Fred Grubel, vice president of Leo Baeck Institut New York • 1996 – Ernst Cramer, German-born American publisher, chairman of Axel Springer • 1997 – Helmut Sonnenfeldt, German-born American political advisor, member of US National Security Council • 1998 – George Mosse, German-born American history professor • 1999 – W. Michael Blumenthal, German-born American director of Jewish Museum Berlin • 2000 – Edgar Bronfman, Sr., businessman, president of the World Jewish Congress • 2001 – Johannes Rau, President of Germany • 2002 – Ruth Westheimer (Dr. Ruth), German-American sex therapist, talk show host, author, professor, Holocaust survivor, and former Haganah sniper. • 2003 – Daniel Libeskind, architect • 2004 – Fritz Stern, German-born American historian • 2005 – Otto Schily, German Minister of the Interior • 2006 – James Wolfensohn, lawyer, banker, economist, and President of the World Bank • 2007 – Mathias Döpfner, journalist, CEO of Axel Springer • 2008 – Wolfgang Ischinger, German ambassador to the UK and USA • 2009 – Joschka Fischer, Foreign Minister of Germany • 2010 – Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany • 2010 – Kurt Masur, conductor • 2011 – Anselm Kiefer, painter and sculptor • 2012 – Margarethe von Trotta, film director • 2013 – Stuart Eizenstat, ambassador, U.S. Special Advisor for Holocaust Issues • 2014 – Joachim Gauck, President of Germany • 2015 – Ismar Schorsch, German-born American President Emeritus of the Leo Baeck Institut • 2016 – Robert Morgenthau, lawyer, District Attorney for New York County • 2017 – Max M. Warburg Jr., German-born American banker • 2018 – Peter Wittig, German ambassador to the UK and USA, and wife Huberta von Voss-Wittig • 2019 – Martha Minow, Dean of Harvard Law School • 2021 – Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of Germany • 2022 – Amy Gutmann, United States ambassador to Germany • 2023 – Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody, Bernie Blum • 2024 – Shulamit Reinharz, Jehuda Reinharz • 2025 – Wolf Blitzer, Kati Marton

The similarly named Leo Baeck Prize of the Central Council of Jews in Germany is to be distinguished from this medal.