United States Ambassador to Poland
Encyclopedia
The history of Ambassadors of the United States to Poland
began in 1919.
Until the end of the Great War, Poland had been partitioned between Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. After the war and the collapse of the empires, Poland became an independent republic in 1918.
The United States recognized
the Second Polish Republic
and established diplomatic relations. The first U.S. Minister to Poland was Hugh S. Gibson, appointed in 1919.
Diplomatic relations were maintained throughout the years of World War II with the government-in-exile of Poland resident in London.
The U.S. Embassy in Poland is located in Warsaw
.
Note: From 1930 onward, the U.S. envoy to Poland had the rank of ambassador.
Note: President Roosevelt nominated James Michael Curley
for the post in 1933 but withdrew the nomination before the Senate acted upon it.
Wartime Notes:
Note: The following officers served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim: Herbert E. Wilgis, Jr. (February–July 1983); and John R. Davis, Jr. (September 1983–January 1987). Davis was appointed as Chargé d'Affaires on January 9, 1987 and subsequently appointed as ambassador.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
began in 1919.
Until the end of the Great War, Poland had been partitioned between Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. After the war and the collapse of the empires, Poland became an independent republic in 1918.
The United States recognized
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and established diplomatic relations. The first U.S. Minister to Poland was Hugh S. Gibson, appointed in 1919.
Diplomatic relations were maintained throughout the years of World War II with the government-in-exile of Poland resident in London.
The U.S. Embassy in Poland is located in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
Ambassadors
- Hugh S. Gibson – Career FSO
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 16, 1919
- Presented credentials: May 2, 1919
- Terminated mission: Presented recall May 3, 1924
- Alfred J. Pearson – Political appointee
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 2, 1924
- Presented credentials: June 26, 1924
- Terminated mission: Left post August 18, 1925
- John B. Stetson, Jr. – Political appointee
- Title: Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 3, 1925
- Presented credentials: August 29, 1925
- Terminated mission: Left post August 29, 1929
Note: From 1930 onward, the U.S. envoy to Poland had the rank of ambassador.
- Alexander P. Moore – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: January 31, 1930
- President Hoover nominated Moore as ambassador, but Moore died before taking the oath of office.
- John N. WillysJohn WillysJohn North Willys was an American automotive pioneer and statesman.Born in Canandaigua, New York, as a young man he began selling bicycles in his hometown and within a few years eventually expanded into manufacturing his own line of bicycles...
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: March 8, 1930
- Presented credentials: May 24, 1930
- Terminated mission: Left post May 30, 1932
- Ferdinand Lammot "Mot" Belin – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 2, 1932
- Presented credentials: December 13, 1932
- Terminated mission: Recess appointment expired, March 4, 1933
Note: President Roosevelt nominated James Michael Curley
James Michael Curley
James Michael Curley was an American politician famous for his four terms as mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He also served twice in the United States House of Representatives and one term as 53rd Governor of Massachusetts.-Early life:Curley's father, Michael Curley, left Oughterard, County...
for the post in 1933 but withdrew the nomination before the Senate acted upon it.
- John CudahyJohn CudahyJohn Clarence Cudahy was a real estate broker and American ambassador to Poland, Ireland, Belgium and Luxembourg. He was a Democrat.-Early life:...
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 13, 1933
- Presented credentials: September 6, 1933
- Terminated mission: Left post April 23, 1937
- Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr. – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 4, 1937
- Presented credentials: June 2, 1937
- Terminated mission: Left London December 1, 1943
Wartime Notes:
- Biddle was the U.S. ambassador in Warsaw in September 1939 when Germany invaded Poland, which action set off World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
. The government of Poland evacuated the countryPolish government in ExileThe Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
, first to France (September 1939–June 1940) and later to England. Rudolf E. Schoenfeld opened the U.S. embassy near the government of Poland established in England, making his initial call as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim on September 21, 1940. Biddle followed the government-in-exile to London, where he arrived on March 14, 1941, and continued as ambassador through 1943. - Biddle was also commissioned to the governments-in-exile of BelgiumUnited States Ambassador to BelgiumIn 1832, shortly after the creation of the Kingdom of Belgium, the United States established diplomatic relations. Since that time, a long line of distinguished envoys have represented American interests in Belgium. These diplomats included men and women whose career paths would lead them to...
, CzechoslovakiaUnited States Ambassador to CzechoslovakiaFollowing the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian empire in 1918 at the end of World War I, the Czechs, Moravians, and Slovaks united to form the new nation of Czechoslovakia...
, GreeceUnited States Ambassador to GreeceThis is a list of ambassadors from the United States to Greece.*Charles Keating Tuckerman *John M. Francis *John M. Read, Jr. *John M. Read, Jr....
, LuxembourgUnited States Ambassador to LuxembourgThe United States has sent ambassadors to Luxembourg since the beginning of the 20th century.This is a complete list of United States envoys and ambassadors appointed to Luxembourg since 1903:- United States Envoys to Luxembourg:* Stanford Newel 1903-1905...
, the NetherlandsUnited States Ambassador to the NetherlandsThe United States diplomatic mission to the Netherlands consists of the embassy located in The Hague and a consular office located in Amsterdam.In 1782, John Adams was appointed America's first Minister Plenipotentiary to Holland...
, NorwayUnited States Ambassador to NorwayPrior to 1905, Sweden and Norway were politically united. The United States Ambassador to Sweden thus was the US representative for Norway as well as Sweden. In 1905 Sweden and Norway peacefully separated and Norway became an independent constitutional monarchy. On November 14, 1905, the US State...
, and YugoslaviaUnited States Ambassador to YugoslaviaThe nation of Yugoslavia was formed on December 1, 1918 as a result of the realignment of nations and national boundaries in Europe in the aftermath of The Great War. The nation was first named the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929...
. - The U.S. embassy in London to the government-in-exile of Poland was terminated on July 5, 1945. Rudolf E. Schoenfeld was still serving as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim when United States withdrew the recognition of the Polish government in exile, recognizing the new communist governmentProvisional Government of National UnityThe Provisional Government of National Unity was a government formed by a decree of the State National Council on 28 June 1945. It was created as a coalition government between Polish Communists and the Polish government-in-exile...
, and the mission in London was closed. - The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw was reestablished on July 5, 1945, the same day on which the embassy in London was closed. Ambassador Lane (see below) was in charge of the embassy pending his presentation of credentials.
- Arthur Bliss LaneArthur Bliss LaneArthur Bliss Lane was the United States Ambassador to Poland .- Biography :Lane was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. He was appointed U.S. Minister to Nicaragua ; Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania ; Kingdom of Yugoslavia, ; and Costa Rica . He was then appointed U.S...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 21, 1944
- Presented credentials: August 4, 1945
- Terminated mission: Left post February 24, 1947
- Stanton Griffis – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 15, 1947
- Presented credentials: July 9, 1947
- Terminated mission: Left post April 21, 1948
- Waldemar J. Gallman – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 7, 1948
- Presented credentials: October 15, 1948
- Terminated mission: Left post July 8, 1950
- Joseph Flack – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 20, 1950
- Presented credentials: November 30, 1950
- Terminated mission: Left Poland, April 22, 1955
- Joseph E. Jacobs – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 1, 1955
- Presented credentials: May 23, 1955
- Terminated mission: Left post July 23, 1957
- Jacob D. BeamJacob D. BeamJacob Dyneley Beam was an American diplomat.Beam was born in Princeton, New Jersey. His father was a German professor at Princeton University, and the younger Beam earned a bachelor's degree in 1929 from Princeton...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 26, 1957
- Presented credentials: August 9, 1957
- Terminated mission: Left post November 30, 1961
- John M. Cabot – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: January 30, 1962
- Presented credentials: March 2, 1962
- Terminated mission: Left post September 24, 1965
- John A. GronouskiJohn A. GronouskiJohn Austin Gronouski was the Wisconsin state commissioner of taxation and the United States Postmaster General.-Biography:...
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 11, 1965
- Presented credentials: December 7, 1965
- Terminated mission: Left post May 26, 1968
- Walter J. Stoessel, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 24, 1968
- Presented credentials: September 12, 1968
- Terminated mission: Left post August 5, 1972
- Richard T. Davies – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 2, 1972
- Presented credentials: January 5, 1973
- Terminated mission: Left post February 5, 1978
- William E. Schaufele, Jr.William E. Schaufele, Jr.William E. Schaufele, Jr. was an American diplomat and official at the United States Department of State.-Life:...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 3, 1978
- Presented credentials: March 30, 1978
- Terminated mission: Left post September 11, 1980
- Francis J. Meehan – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 2, 1980
- Presented credentials: October 27, 1980
- Terminated mission: Left post February 11, 1983
Note: The following officers served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim: Herbert E. Wilgis, Jr. (February–July 1983); and John R. Davis, Jr. (September 1983–January 1987). Davis was appointed as Chargé d'Affaires on January 9, 1987 and subsequently appointed as ambassador.
- John R. Davis, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 5, 1988
- Presented credentials: March 17, 1988
- Terminated mission: Left post July 20, 1990
- Thomas W. Simons, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 6, 1990
- Presented credentials: September 11, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post April 28, 1993
- Nicholas Andrew ReyNicholas Andrew ReyNicholas Andrew Rey was American diplomat, businessman, United States Ambassador to Poland , affiliated with Democratic Party.-Life:...
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 22, 1993
- Presented credentials: December 21, 1993
- Terminated mission: Left post October 25, 1997
- Daniel FriedDaniel FriedDaniel Fried is a senior career diplomat of the United States who carries the rank of Ambassador. He is presently serving as a Special Envoy to facilitate the closing of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp located in Cuba. Previously, he was the top U.S. diplomat in Europe, and prior to that he was...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 10, 1997
- Presented credentials: November 27, 1997
- Terminated mission: Left post May 6, 2000
- Christopher R. HillChristopher R. HillChristopher Robert Hill is an American diplomat who served as the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq.On July 1, 2010, Hill was chosen to be the dean of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 31, 2000
- Presented credentials: July 27, 2000
- Terminated mission: Left post April 14, 2004
- Victor Henderson AsheVictor AsheVictor Henderson Ashe II is the former United States Ambassador to Poland. From 1987 to 2003, he was mayor of Knoxville, Tennessee. Ashe is a Republican. Ambassador Ashe concluded his service as Ambassador to Poland on February 6, 2009....
– Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 26, 2004
- Presented credentials: August 17, 2004
- Terminated mission: September 29, 2009
- Lee A. FeinsteinLee A. FeinsteinLee Andrew Feinstein is the current United States Ambassador to Poland.-Early life and education:Feinstein graduated from Georgetown University Law Center, from which he holds a J.D...
- Political appointee- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 28, 2009
- Presented credentials: October 20, 2009
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Poland – United States relations
- Foreign relations of PolandForeign relations of PolandThe Republic of Poland is a Central European country and member of the European Union and NATO, among others. In recent years, Poland has extended its responsibilities and position in European and Western affairs, supporting and establishing friendly foreign relations with both the West and with...
- Ambassadors of the United States