Donald M. Blinken facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donald M. Blinken
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| United States Ambassador to Hungary | |
| In office April 1, 1994 – November 20, 1997 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Charles H. Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Peter Tufo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Donald Mayer Blinken
November 11, 1925 Yonkers, New York, U.S. |
| Died | September 22, 2022 (aged 96) East Hampton, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
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| Children | Antony Blinken |
| Relatives |
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| Alma mater | Harvard University |
Donald Mayer Blinken (born November 11, 1925 – died September 22, 2022) was an American businessman and diplomat. He worked as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 1994 to 1997. His son, Antony Blinken, is currently the Secretary of State of the United States. He serves in the government of Joe Biden.
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Early Life and Education
Donald Blinken was born on November 11, 1925, in Yonkers, New York. His parents were Maurice and Ethel Blinken. They were of Jewish background. His father's family came from Kyiv, which is now the capital of Ukraine. Donald's grandfather was a writer named Meir Blinken. Donald had two brothers, Alan and Robert.
The Blinken brothers grew up in both New York City and Yonkers. They went to the Horace Mann School. Donald Blinken served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II in 1944. After the war, he went to Harvard University. In 1948, he earned a degree in economics. He graduated with high honors, called magna cum laude.
Career Highlights
Donald Blinken had a varied career. He was involved in art, business, and public service.
Art and Culture
Blinken became an art collector after meeting artist Mark Rothko in 1956. He later became the president of the Mark Rothko Foundation. This was from 1976 to 1989. In 1984, the foundation gave 1,000 pieces of art to museums. One of these museums was the National Gallery of Art.
From 1970 to 1976, Blinken was the president of the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This is a famous arts center.
Business and Public Service
In 1966, Blinken helped start E. M. Warburg Pincus & Company. This was an investment bank in New York. He worked as a director and later as the chairman of its board of directors. A board of directors is a group of people who guide a company.
In 1976, the Governor of New York appointed Blinken to the board of trustees for the State University of New York. He became the board's chairman in 1978. He resigned from this role in 1989.
Diplomatic Role
During the time Jimmy Carter was president, Blinken served on a special panel. This panel helped choose judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals.
In 1994, President Bill Clinton chose Blinken to be the United States Ambassador to Hungary. The U.S. Senate approved his nomination. He served as ambassador until 1997. An ambassador is a country's main representative in another country.
After his time as ambassador, Blinken worked for the World Federation of United Nations Associations. He was its secretary-general from 2000 to 2004.
Personal Life
Donald Blinken lived in New York City and in East Hampton, New York.
He was married to Judith Frehm from 1958 to 1971. They later divorced. In 1975, he married Vera Ermer. Vera was a Holocaust survivor from Hungary. In 2009, they wrote a book together. It was about Vera's escape from Communist Hungary. It also covered their time in Hungary when Donald was the U.S. Ambassador.
In 2015, the Open Society Archives in Hungary was renamed. It became the Vera and Donald Blinken Open Society Archives. This happened after the couple made a large donation.
Donald Blinken's son, Antony Blinken, is a well-known public figure. He is currently the United States Secretary of State. He serves in the government of Joe Biden.
Donald Blinken passed away in East Hampton on September 22, 2022. He was 96 years old.
