S.S. Wimbledon case
E47944
international court case
judgment of the Permanent Court of International Justice
landmark case in international law
The S.S. Wimbledon case was a landmark 1923 decision of the Permanent Court of International Justice that clarified the limits of state sovereignty under international treaty obligations, particularly regarding freedom of navigation through the Kiel Canal.
Aliases (2)
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
international court case
→
judgment of the Permanent Court of International Justice → landmark case in international law → |
| applicantStates |
France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom
→
|
| areaOfLaw |
international responsibility
→
law of treaties → public international law → |
| citationStyleName |
S.S. Wimbledon (France, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom v. Germany)
→
|
| concernsWaterway |
Kiel Canal
→
|
| courtSeat |
The Hague
→
|
| decidingCourt |
Permanent Court of International Justice
→
|
| decisionDate |
1923-08-17
→
|
| disputeOrigin |
refusal by Germany to allow passage of the S.S. Wimbledon through the Kiel Canal
→
|
| findingOnNeutrality |
Germany’s neutrality regulations could not override its treaty obligations regarding the Kiel Canal
→
|
| findingOnSovereignty |
a state may voluntarily limit its sovereignty by entering into international treaties
→
|
| historicalSignificance |
early and influential decision of the Permanent Court of International Justice
→
|
| holding |
Germany was not entitled to refuse passage to the S.S. Wimbledon through the Kiel Canal
→
treaty obligations limited Germany’s freedom to invoke neutrality to close the Kiel Canal → |
| influenced |
later international law doctrine on international waterways and canals
→
subsequent jurisprudence on treaty-based limitations of sovereignty → |
| involvesState |
France
→
Italy → Japan → United Kingdom → |
| languageOfProceedings |
English
→
French → |
| legalIssue |
interpretation of the Treaty of Versailles provisions on the Kiel Canal
→
whether Germany could rely on its neutrality laws to deny passage through the Kiel Canal → |
| officialName |
Case of the S.S. Wimbledon
→
|
| principleAffirmed |
freedom of navigation in international canals subject to treaty regimes
→
limitations on state sovereignty accepted by treaty are legally binding → pacta sunt servanda → primacy of international treaty obligations over conflicting domestic law → |
| reparationIssue |
Germany was held responsible for wrongful denial of passage
→
|
| respondentState |
Germany
→
|
| subjectMatter |
freedom of navigation
→
international treaty interpretation → international waterways → law of the sea → limits of state sovereignty → |
| treatyInterpreted |
Treaty of Versailles
→
|
| treatyProvisionConcerned |
Articles on freedom of passage through the Kiel Canal
→
|
| vesselFlag |
French
→
|
| vesselName |
S.S. Wimbledon
→
|
| vesselType |
steamship
→
|
| yearDecided |
1923
→
|
Referenced by (3)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
S.S. Wimbledon case
("S.S. Wimbledon (France, Italy, Japan and United Kingdom v. Germany)")
→
|
citationStyleName |
|
S.S. Wimbledon case
("Case of the S.S. Wimbledon")
→
|
officialName |
|
Permanent Court of International Justice
→
|
significantCase |