US Diplomat and businessman. He served as United States Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe from 1991 to 1994, as Special Envoy to the Dayton Peace Negotiations ending the Bosnian War in 1995, and as Head of the Europe and Canada Division at the US Department of State from 1996 to 1997. From 1997 to 2001, Kornblum was the American ambassador to Germany. After his diplomatic career ended, he was head of the American investment bank Lazard in Germany from 2001 to 2009, then a consultant at the business law firm Noerr and the management consultancy Accenture.
He studied German and political science at Michigan State University in East Lansing and received a bachelor's degree. He received a master's degree in international relations from Georgetown University. In 1964, he joined his country's diplomatic service. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as vice consul at the consulate general in Hamburg.
In 1969, he was sent to the American Embassy in Bonn, where he took part in the negotiations for the Four-Power Agreement as an employee of the political department from 1970 to 1972. In 1973, he returned to the Foreign Ministry. He was then initially a member of the political planning staff and later head of the European department. From 1977 to 1979, he was responsible for political and military tasks. In 1979, Kornblum was sent to Germany again, this time as a political advisor at the US mission in West Berlin. From July 1981, he headed the Department for Central European Affairs at the State Department.
In August 1985, Kornblum returned to Germany again, but this time as a US envoy in the role of deputy commander of the American sector of Berlin. In this position, Kornblum organized the famous "Tear down this wall!" Ronald Reagan's speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, and he suggested, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" for the text of the speech.
During this time, he had to conduct spicy negotiations together with Ambassador Richard Burt and Thomas Niles: The CIA had recruited GDR citizens as agents when visiting relatives in West Germany and on other occasions. The people had received virtually no significant agent training and were quickly exposed by the Ministry for State Security and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. The US internal audits took more than a year. The largest exchange of agents in history between East and West was achieved on June 11, 1985, when four GDR spies were exchanged for 25 CIA agents on the Glienicke Bridge, two of whom remained in the GDR.
In 1987, Mr. Kornblum moved to Brussels, where he served as the US deputy permanent representative to NATO. In 1991, President George Bush Sr. appointed him United States Ambassador to the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). In this capacity, he headed his country's delegation to the follow-up conference in 1992 and took a leading role in drafting the declaration adopted at the Helsinki Summit in July 1992. Kornblum assembled the new American delegation to the CSCE in Vienna in August 1992, where he served until April 1994.
During Bill Clinton's presidency, he rose to become deputy chief of the European and Canadian Affairs Division at the US State Department. He was Richard Holbrooke's deputy and assistant and, as special ambassador for Bosnia, played a significant role in the negotiations to end the Bosnian war. The war ended with the Dayton Agreement. In February 1996, Kornblum took over from Holbrooke as head of the European and Canadian Affairs Division.
On August 18, 1997, he returned to Germany as his country's ambassador. He played an active role both in the conception of American policy towards Germany and in the public debate in Germany. Mr. Kornblum often called on Europe to show more responsibility. He meant, e.g., B.: "European ideas have almost never led to practical progress.
The idea that Europe can rule the world through soft powers is not realistic," and "The use of soft powers in the EU's foreign policy could only be successful in conjunction with the American hard powers." This position is also represented by many leading German politicians today. A major controversy followed the attacks by al-Qaeda terrorists on two American embassies in East Africa in the summer of 1998. The American government was forced to significantly expand the security measures at the new US embassy in Berlin. These protective measures would have made it necessary to change the road layout around the Brandenburg Gate. The backlash from Berliners, especially from the Berlin Senate, was loud and sometimes very dramatic. It took more than two years to find a solution. Kornblum later said that this incident had a very negative impact on his assessment of German society.
He studied German and political science at Michigan State University in East Lansing and received a bachelor's degree. He received a master's degree in international relations from Georgetown University. In 1964, he joined his country's diplomatic service. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as vice consul at the consulate general in Hamburg.
In 1969, he was sent to the American Embassy in Bonn, where he took part in the negotiations for the Four-Power Agreement as an employee of the political department from 1970 to 1972. In 1973, he returned to the Foreign Ministry. He was then initially a member of the political planning staff and later head of the European department. From 1977 to 1979, he was responsible for political and military tasks. In 1979, Kornblum was sent to Germany again, this time as a political advisor at the US mission in West Berlin. From July 1981, he headed the Department for Central European Affairs at the State Department.
In August 1985, Kornblum returned to Germany again, but this time as a US envoy in the role of deputy commander of the American sector of Berlin. In this position, Kornblum organized the famous "Tear down this wall!" Ronald Reagan's speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, and he suggested, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" for the text of the speech.
During this time, he had to conduct spicy negotiations together with Ambassador Richard Burt and Thomas Niles: The CIA had recruited GDR citizens as agents when visiting relatives in West Germany and on other occasions. The people had received virtually no significant agent training and were quickly exposed by the Ministry for State Security and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. The US internal audits took more than a year. The largest exchange of agents in history between East and West was achieved on June 11, 1985, when four GDR spies were exchanged for 25 CIA agents on the Glienicke Bridge, two of whom remained in the GDR.
In 1987, Mr. Kornblum moved to Brussels, where he served as the US deputy permanent representative to NATO. In 1991, President George Bush Sr. appointed him United States Ambassador to the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). In this capacity, he headed his country's delegation to the follow-up conference in 1992 and took a leading role in drafting the declaration adopted at the Helsinki Summit in July 1992. Kornblum assembled the new American delegation to the CSCE in Vienna in August 1992, where he served until April 1994.
During Bill Clinton's presidency, he rose to become deputy chief of the European and Canadian Affairs Division at the US State Department. He was Richard Holbrooke's deputy and assistant and, as special ambassador for Bosnia, played a significant role in the negotiations to end the Bosnian war. The war ended with the Dayton Agreement. In February 1996, Kornblum took over from Holbrooke as head of the European and Canadian Affairs Division.
On August 18, 1997, he returned to Germany as his country's ambassador. He played an active role both in the conception of American policy towards Germany and in the public debate in Germany. Mr. Kornblum often called on Europe to show more responsibility. He meant, e.g., B.: "European ideas have almost never led to practical progress.
The idea that Europe can rule the world through soft powers is not realistic," and "The use of soft powers in the EU's foreign policy could only be successful in conjunction with the American hard powers." This position is also represented by many leading German politicians today. A major controversy followed the attacks by al-Qaeda terrorists on two American embassies in East Africa in the summer of 1998. The American government was forced to significantly expand the security measures at the new US embassy in Berlin. These protective measures would have made it necessary to change the road layout around the Brandenburg Gate. The backlash from Berliners, especially from the Berlin Senate, was loud and sometimes very dramatic. It took more than two years to find a solution. Kornblum later said that this incident had a very negative impact on his assessment of German society.
US Diplomat and businessman. He served as United States Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe from 1991 to 1994, as Special Envoy to the Dayton Peace Negotiations ending the Bosnian War in 1995, and as Head of the Europe and Canada Division at the US Department of State from 1996 to 1997. From 1997 to 2001, Kornblum was the American ambassador to Germany. After his diplomatic career ended, he was head of the American investment bank Lazard in Germany from 2001 to 2009, then a consultant at the business law firm Noerr and the management consultancy Accenture.
He studied German and political science at Michigan State University in East Lansing and received a bachelor's degree. He received a master's degree in international relations from Georgetown University. In 1964, he joined his country's diplomatic service. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as vice consul at the consulate general in Hamburg.
In 1969, he was sent to the American Embassy in Bonn, where he took part in the negotiations for the Four-Power Agreement as an employee of the political department from 1970 to 1972. In 1973, he returned to the Foreign Ministry. He was then initially a member of the political planning staff and later head of the European department. From 1977 to 1979, he was responsible for political and military tasks. In 1979, Kornblum was sent to Germany again, this time as a political advisor at the US mission in West Berlin. From July 1981, he headed the Department for Central European Affairs at the State Department.
In August 1985, Kornblum returned to Germany again, but this time as a US envoy in the role of deputy commander of the American sector of Berlin. In this position, Kornblum organized the famous "Tear down this wall!" Ronald Reagan's speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, and he suggested, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" for the text of the speech.
During this time, he had to conduct spicy negotiations together with Ambassador Richard Burt and Thomas Niles: The CIA had recruited GDR citizens as agents when visiting relatives in West Germany and on other occasions. The people had received virtually no significant agent training and were quickly exposed by the Ministry for State Security and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. The US internal audits took more than a year. The largest exchange of agents in history between East and West was achieved on June 11, 1985, when four GDR spies were exchanged for 25 CIA agents on the Glienicke Bridge, two of whom remained in the GDR.
In 1987, Mr. Kornblum moved to Brussels, where he served as the US deputy permanent representative to NATO. In 1991, President George Bush Sr. appointed him United States Ambassador to the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). In this capacity, he headed his country's delegation to the follow-up conference in 1992 and took a leading role in drafting the declaration adopted at the Helsinki Summit in July 1992. Kornblum assembled the new American delegation to the CSCE in Vienna in August 1992, where he served until April 1994.
During Bill Clinton's presidency, he rose to become deputy chief of the European and Canadian Affairs Division at the US State Department. He was Richard Holbrooke's deputy and assistant and, as special ambassador for Bosnia, played a significant role in the negotiations to end the Bosnian war. The war ended with the Dayton Agreement. In February 1996, Kornblum took over from Holbrooke as head of the European and Canadian Affairs Division.
On August 18, 1997, he returned to Germany as his country's ambassador. He played an active role both in the conception of American policy towards Germany and in the public debate in Germany. Mr. Kornblum often called on Europe to show more responsibility. He meant, e.g., B.: "European ideas have almost never led to practical progress.
The idea that Europe can rule the world through soft powers is not realistic," and "The use of soft powers in the EU's foreign policy could only be successful in conjunction with the American hard powers." This position is also represented by many leading German politicians today. A major controversy followed the attacks by al-Qaeda terrorists on two American embassies in East Africa in the summer of 1998. The American government was forced to significantly expand the security measures at the new US embassy in Berlin. These protective measures would have made it necessary to change the road layout around the Brandenburg Gate. The backlash from Berliners, especially from the Berlin Senate, was loud and sometimes very dramatic. It took more than two years to find a solution. Kornblum later said that this incident had a very negative impact on his assessment of German society.
He studied German and political science at Michigan State University in East Lansing and received a bachelor's degree. He received a master's degree in international relations from Georgetown University. In 1964, he joined his country's diplomatic service. From 1964 to 1966, he worked as vice consul at the consulate general in Hamburg.
In 1969, he was sent to the American Embassy in Bonn, where he took part in the negotiations for the Four-Power Agreement as an employee of the political department from 1970 to 1972. In 1973, he returned to the Foreign Ministry. He was then initially a member of the political planning staff and later head of the European department. From 1977 to 1979, he was responsible for political and military tasks. In 1979, Kornblum was sent to Germany again, this time as a political advisor at the US mission in West Berlin. From July 1981, he headed the Department for Central European Affairs at the State Department.
In August 1985, Kornblum returned to Germany again, but this time as a US envoy in the role of deputy commander of the American sector of Berlin. In this position, Kornblum organized the famous "Tear down this wall!" Ronald Reagan's speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate on June 12, 1987, and he suggested, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" for the text of the speech.
During this time, he had to conduct spicy negotiations together with Ambassador Richard Burt and Thomas Niles: The CIA had recruited GDR citizens as agents when visiting relatives in West Germany and on other occasions. The people had received virtually no significant agent training and were quickly exposed by the Ministry for State Security and sentenced to lengthy prison sentences. The US internal audits took more than a year. The largest exchange of agents in history between East and West was achieved on June 11, 1985, when four GDR spies were exchanged for 25 CIA agents on the Glienicke Bridge, two of whom remained in the GDR.
In 1987, Mr. Kornblum moved to Brussels, where he served as the US deputy permanent representative to NATO. In 1991, President George Bush Sr. appointed him United States Ambassador to the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE). In this capacity, he headed his country's delegation to the follow-up conference in 1992 and took a leading role in drafting the declaration adopted at the Helsinki Summit in July 1992. Kornblum assembled the new American delegation to the CSCE in Vienna in August 1992, where he served until April 1994.
During Bill Clinton's presidency, he rose to become deputy chief of the European and Canadian Affairs Division at the US State Department. He was Richard Holbrooke's deputy and assistant and, as special ambassador for Bosnia, played a significant role in the negotiations to end the Bosnian war. The war ended with the Dayton Agreement. In February 1996, Kornblum took over from Holbrooke as head of the European and Canadian Affairs Division.
On August 18, 1997, he returned to Germany as his country's ambassador. He played an active role both in the conception of American policy towards Germany and in the public debate in Germany. Mr. Kornblum often called on Europe to show more responsibility. He meant, e.g., B.: "European ideas have almost never led to practical progress.
The idea that Europe can rule the world through soft powers is not realistic," and "The use of soft powers in the EU's foreign policy could only be successful in conjunction with the American hard powers." This position is also represented by many leading German politicians today. A major controversy followed the attacks by al-Qaeda terrorists on two American embassies in East Africa in the summer of 1998. The American government was forced to significantly expand the security measures at the new US embassy in Berlin. These protective measures would have made it necessary to change the road layout around the Brandenburg Gate. The backlash from Berliners, especially from the Berlin Senate, was loud and sometimes very dramatic. It took more than two years to find a solution. Kornblum later said that this incident had a very negative impact on his assessment of German society.
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