Martin J. Hillenbrand
Encyclopedia
Martin Joseph Hillenbrand (August 1, 1915 – February 2, 2005) was an American diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany
from 1972 to 1976.
, Hillenbrand attained a Ph.D. in 1948 from Columbia University
. He became a U.S. foreign service officer almost a decade earlier, entering the U.S. Foreign Service in 1939, and served in multiple positions before being named Assistant Secretary of State for Europe
an and Canadian
Affairs during the Nixon Administration.
During his 37-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, he held assignments in Switzerland
, Washington D.C., Burma, India
, Portuguese East Africa
(now: Mozambique
), Germany
, France
, and Hungary
. He served as the first U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 1967–1969 and later as the U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from June 27, 1972, to October 18, 1976.
During his career, Ambassador Hillenbrand developed expertise on European affairs, and he devoted a significant portion of his career to topics related to Germany where he played an instrumental role as a diplomat during the Berlin Crisis
from 1958 to 1962.
in Paris
, France
, from 1977-1982. In 1982, Dr. Hillenbrand was named Professor of International Relations at the University of Georgia
and held this position until his retirement from this university in 1997. In his retirement, the former Ambassador Hillenbrand published his memoirs: “Fragments of Our Time: Memoirs of a Diplomat” (University of Georgia Press: 1998).
In 2004 Ambassador Hillenbrand participated in an oral history project that focused on his role and understanding of significant world events during his career in the U.S. Foreign Service and also considered his outlook on the future. Audio and video recordings from this project are housed in the Richard B. Russell Library at the University of Georgia.
Martin J. Hillenbrand died on February 2, 2005, in Athens, Georgia
(USA).
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
from 1972 to 1976.
Career
Born in Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, Hillenbrand attained a Ph.D. in 1948 from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He became a U.S. foreign service officer almost a decade earlier, entering the U.S. Foreign Service in 1939, and served in multiple positions before being named Assistant Secretary of State for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Affairs during the Nixon Administration.
During his 37-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, he held assignments in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Washington D.C., Burma, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Portuguese East Africa
Portuguese East Africa
Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa was the common name by which the Portuguese Empire's territorial expansion in East Africa was known across different periods of time...
(now: Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
), Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. He served as the first U.S. Ambassador to Hungary from 1967–1969 and later as the U.S. Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany from June 27, 1972, to October 18, 1976.
During his career, Ambassador Hillenbrand developed expertise on European affairs, and he devoted a significant portion of his career to topics related to Germany where he played an instrumental role as a diplomat during the Berlin Crisis
Berlin Crisis of 1961
The Berlin Crisis of 1961 was the last major politico-military European incident of the Cold War about the occupational status of the German capital city, Berlin, and of post–World War II Germany. The U.S.S.R...
from 1958 to 1962.
Later years
After retiring from the U.S. Foreign Service, the former Ambassador Hillenbrand served as the Director-General of the Atlantic Institute for International AffairsAtlantic Institute
The Atlantic Institute is an independent, non-governmental institute which promotes economic, political, and cultural relations among NATO alliance members and the international community in general...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, from 1977-1982. In 1982, Dr. Hillenbrand was named Professor of International Relations at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
and held this position until his retirement from this university in 1997. In his retirement, the former Ambassador Hillenbrand published his memoirs: “Fragments of Our Time: Memoirs of a Diplomat” (University of Georgia Press: 1998).
In 2004 Ambassador Hillenbrand participated in an oral history project that focused on his role and understanding of significant world events during his career in the U.S. Foreign Service and also considered his outlook on the future. Audio and video recordings from this project are housed in the Richard B. Russell Library at the University of Georgia.
Martin J. Hillenbrand died on February 2, 2005, in Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
(USA).