Richard Schifter
Encyclopedia
Richard Schifter is a United States
lawyer
who was Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from 1985 to 1992.
on July 31, 1923 into a Jewish family
. (His family was in Vienna after having been displaced from Poland.) In the wake of the Anschluss
by which the First Austrian Republic
was annexed by Nazi Germany
on March 12, 1938, Schifter's family sought permission to emigrate, but Richard Schifter was the only member of the family allowed to leave. As such, he immigrated to the United States
without his family at age 15. In the U.S., he studied at the College of the City of New York
, receiving a B.A.
in 1943.
Schifter then joined the United States Army
, becoming one of the Ritchie Boys
, young Jewish Germans who the U.S. Army trained in the art of psychological warfare
. He was present for the Normandy landings. After the Battle of the Bulge
, he was stationed in Aachen
and tasked with interviewing the civilian population, thus producing one of the first studies of daily life under the Third Reich. He searched for his family after the war, but they had all been killed in the Holocaust
. He was discharged from the Army in 1946, but stayed in Allied-occupied Germany working for the U.S. military government as a civilian until 1948.
Schifter enrolled in Yale Law School
in 1948, receiving his LL.B. in 1951. After law school, Schifter joined the law firm
of Riegelman, Strasser, Schwarz & Spiegelberg (which is today Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
). Following the death of Felix S. Cohen
in 1953, Schifter, along with fellow attorney Arthur Lazarus, Jr.
, became the main attorneys for the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation in their repeated disputes with the United States government. Schifter practiced law at Fried, Frank until the 1980s, as one of the foremost practitioners of federal Indian law in the country. He also served on the President's Task Force on American Indians from 1966 to 1967.
From 1981 to 1982, Schifter was U.S. representative to the UNESCO
Committee on Conventions and Recommendations. He was also an alternate U.S. representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
1981-82. From 1983 to 1985, he was the United States Representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. He was also Deputy United States Representative to the United Nations Security Council
with the rank of Ambassador
from 1984 to 1985.
In 1985, President of the United States
Ronald Reagan
nominated Schifter to be Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. After Senate Confirmation, Schifter served as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from October 31, 1985 until April 3, 1992. Schifter's views on U.S. foreign policy have been described as neoconservative.
After the election of Bill Clinton
, some sources reported that Clinton would name Schifter United States Ambassador to Israel
. However, apparently not wanting to be too closely identified with the Israel lobby in the United States
, Clinton instead made Schifter a special assistant to the United States National Security Council
. He served in this capacity until 2001.
Since leaving government in 2001, Schifter has headed the American Jewish International Relations Institute and the Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeastern Europe. He has also been a trustee of the Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who was Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from 1985 to 1992.
Biography
Richard Schifter was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on July 31, 1923 into a Jewish family
History of the Jews in Vienna
The history of the Jews in Vienna, Austria, goes back over eight hundred years. There is evidence of a Jewish presence in Vienna from the 12th century onwards....
. (His family was in Vienna after having been displaced from Poland.) In the wake of the Anschluss
Anschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
by which the First Austrian Republic
First Austrian Republic
The Republic of Austria encompasses the period of Austrian history following the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of September 1919, the settlement after the end of World War I which put an end to the Republic of German Austria, continuing up to World War II...
was annexed by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
on March 12, 1938, Schifter's family sought permission to emigrate, but Richard Schifter was the only member of the family allowed to leave. As such, he immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
without his family at age 15. In the U.S., he studied at the College of the City of New York
College of the City of New York
The College of the City of New York is the former name of New York University's undergraduate college when the university was named "University of the City of New York"....
, receiving a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1943.
Schifter then joined the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, becoming one of the Ritchie Boys
Ritchie Boys
The Ritchie Boys was a US special military intelligence unit in World War II comprising mainly German-speaking immigrants to the USA. They were predominately Jews, most of whom had fled Nazi persecution...
, young Jewish Germans who the U.S. Army trained in the art of psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
. He was present for the Normandy landings. After the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, he was stationed in Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
and tasked with interviewing the civilian population, thus producing one of the first studies of daily life under the Third Reich. He searched for his family after the war, but they had all been killed in the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. He was discharged from the Army in 1946, but stayed in Allied-occupied Germany working for the U.S. military government as a civilian until 1948.
Schifter enrolled in Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1948, receiving his LL.B. in 1951. After law school, Schifter joined the law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Riegelman, Strasser, Schwarz & Spiegelberg (which is today Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson
Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is a law firm founded in New York City in the early 20th century that has grown into an international law firm with offices in New York City, Washington, DC, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The firm has 468 attorneys worldwide...
). Following the death of Felix S. Cohen
Felix S. Cohen
Felix Solomon Cohen was an American lawyer and scholar who made a lasting mark on legal philosophy and fundamentally shaped federal Indian law and policy.- Biography :...
in 1953, Schifter, along with fellow attorney Arthur Lazarus, Jr.
Arthur Lazarus, Jr.
Arthur Lazarus, Jr. is a retired attorney primarily known for his work with American Indian tribes and Alaska Native corporations. His clients included the Blackfeet, Tuscarora, Seneca, and Navajo. His best-known case was the Black Hills Land Claim on behalf of the Sioux. He was the final attorney...
, became the main attorneys for the Oglala Sioux Tribe of the Pine Ridge Reservation in their repeated disputes with the United States government. Schifter practiced law at Fried, Frank until the 1980s, as one of the foremost practitioners of federal Indian law in the country. He also served on the President's Task Force on American Indians from 1966 to 1967.
From 1981 to 1982, Schifter was U.S. representative to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Committee on Conventions and Recommendations. He was also an alternate U.S. representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights
United Nations Commission on Human Rights
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights was a functional commission within the overall framework of the United Nations from 1946 until it was replaced by the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2006...
1981-82. From 1983 to 1985, he was the United States Representative to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. He was also Deputy United States Representative to the United Nations Security Council
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security. Its powers, outlined in the United Nations Charter, include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of...
with the rank of Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
from 1984 to 1985.
In 1985, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
nominated Schifter to be Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs. After Senate Confirmation, Schifter served as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from October 31, 1985 until April 3, 1992. Schifter's views on U.S. foreign policy have been described as neoconservative.
After the election of Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, some sources reported that Clinton would name Schifter United States Ambassador to Israel
United States Ambassador to Israel
The United States Ambassador to Israel is the official representative of the President of the United States to the head of state of Israel.Until 1948 the area that is now the state of Israel had been under British administration as part of the League of Nations/United Nations British Mandate for...
. However, apparently not wanting to be too closely identified with the Israel lobby in the United States
Israel lobby in the United States
The Israel lobby is a term used to describe the diverse coalition of those who, as individuals and as groups, seek and have sought to influence the foreign policy of the United States in support of Zionism, Israel or the specific policies of its government...
, Clinton instead made Schifter a special assistant to the United States National Security Council
United States National Security Council
The White House National Security Council in the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and Cabinet officials and is part of the Executive Office of the...
. He served in this capacity until 2001.
Since leaving government in 2001, Schifter has headed the American Jewish International Relations Institute and the Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeastern Europe. He has also been a trustee of the Institute for Christian and Jewish Studies.
External links
- The American Jewish International Relations Institute Richard Schifter is the Chairman of the Board of AJIRI