Robert Lochner
Encyclopedia
Robert H. Lochner was a journalist who helped to revive the free media in West Germany
after World War II
and who is most well known for assisting John F. Kennedy
with his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner
" speech in 1963.
Born in New York
on October 20, 1918, Lochner grew up in Berlin
. He studied one semester at the University of Berlin
, and then took a B.A. and an M.A. in Political Science and Economics at the University of Chicago
and remained in the U.S. He worked for NBC
during World War II
, and returned to Germany
as a U.S.
soldier in 1945. His firm knowledge of the German language
enabled him to become chief interpreter for the US occupation forces in Western Germany, until he took a position as chief editor of the Neue Zeitung newspaper in Frankfurt
in 1949.
Lochner also was head of the Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor
(RIAS, Broadcasting in the American sector), a radio station supported by the US government in West Berlin
during Kennedy's visit to West Germany
. Lochner famously acted as Kennedy's interpreter, helping the president
practice his speech on June 26, 1963 and the key phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a Berliner"), for which he created the phonetic spelling "ish bin ein bear-lee-ner".
Later in his life, Lochner worked in Vietnam
and Washington before retiring in Berlin. He died from a lung embolism on September 21, 2003, and left three daughters and a son.
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....
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and who is most well known for assisting John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
with his famous "Ich bin ein Berliner
Ich bin ein Berliner
"Ich bin ein Berliner" is a quotation from a June 26, 1963, speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy in West Berlin. He was underlining the support of the United States for West Germany 22 months after the Soviet-supported East Germany erected the Berlin Wall as a barrier to prevent movement...
" speech in 1963.
Born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on October 20, 1918, Lochner grew up in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He studied one semester at the University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
The Humboldt University of Berlin is Berlin's oldest university, founded in 1810 as the University of Berlin by the liberal Prussian educational reformer and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt, whose university model has strongly influenced other European and Western universities...
, and then took a B.A. and an M.A. in Political Science and Economics at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
and remained in the U.S. He worked for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and returned to 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...
as a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soldier in 1945. His firm knowledge of the German language
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
enabled him to become chief interpreter for the US occupation forces in Western Germany, until he took a position as chief editor of the Neue Zeitung newspaper in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
in 1949.
Lochner also was head of the Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor
Rundfunk im amerikanischen Sektor
RIAS was a radio and television station in the American Sector of Berlin during the Cold War. It was founded by the US occupational authorities after World War II in 1946 to provide the German population in and around Berlin with news and political reporting and was initially only broadcast on...
(RIAS, Broadcasting in the American sector), a radio station supported by the US government in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
during Kennedy's visit to West Germany
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....
. Lochner famously acted as Kennedy's interpreter, helping the president
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....
practice his speech on June 26, 1963 and the key phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner" ("I am a Berliner"), for which he created the phonetic spelling "ish bin ein bear-lee-ner".
Later in his life, Lochner worked in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Washington before retiring in Berlin. He died from a lung embolism on September 21, 2003, and left three daughters and a son.
Distinctions
- Große BundesverdienstkreuzBundesverdienstkreuzThe Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany is the only general state decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has existed since 7 September 1951, and between 3,000 and 5,200 awards are given every year across all classes...
- 1993: Verdienstorden des Landes Berlin
- Freiheitsglocke in Silver
- Lucius D. ClayLucius D. ClayGeneral Lucius Dubignon Clay was an American officer and military governor of the United States Army known for his administration of Germany immediately after World War II. Clay was deputy to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1945; deputy military governor, Germany 1946; commander in chief, U.S....
Medal - Gold Medal of the Munich Marionet Theater
External links
- An interview with Robert Lochner
- Obituary for Robert Lochner (from the Boston Globe)