List of ambassadors of Germany to the United States facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ambassador of Germany to the United States |
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.jpg) Andreas Michaelis since August 2023 |
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| Residence | Washington, D.C. |
| Inaugural holder | Kurd von Schlözer |
| Formation | 1871 |
Germany and the United States have had official friendly connections, called diplomatic relations, since 1871. This was when Germany became one country. Before that, only a few German states had these connections with the U.S.
For example, the Kingdom of Prussia had diplomatic ties since 1835. Three important trading cities, Bremen, Hamburg, and Lübeck (known as the Hanseatic cities), also had connections since 1853.
The friendly connections between Germany and the U.S. were broken two times. This happened during World War I (from 1917 to 1921) and World War II (from 1941 to 1955). During these times, Germany and the United States were at war.
Germany's Representatives in the U.S.
This section looks at the people who represented Germany in the United States over time. These representatives are called ambassadors or ministers. They help keep the peace and good relations between countries.
Early German State Representatives
Before Germany became a single country, different German states sent their own representatives.
Prussia's Ministers to the United States
The Kingdom of Prussia was a very important German state. It sent its first minister, Friedrich von Greuhm, in 1817. Other representatives followed, like Friedrich Ludwig von Rönne and Friedrich von Gerolt.
Hanseatic Cities' Ministers to the United States
The Hanseatic cities were a group of powerful trading cities. They also sent their own representatives to the U.S. These included Vincent Rumpff and Rudolf Schleiden.
Ministers and Ambassadors of the German Empire
After Germany became one country in 1871, it sent official ambassadors. The first was Kurd von Schlözer.
These ambassadors worked to build strong ties between the new German Empire and the U.S. Some notable ambassadors included Theodor von Holleben and Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff.
Diplomatic relations stopped on February 3, 1917, because of World War I. They started again on April 25, 1921.
Ambassadors of the Weimar Republic
After World War I, Germany became a republic, known as the Weimar Republic. New ambassadors were sent to the U.S.
Otto Wiedfeldt and Adolf Georg von Maltzan served as ambassadors during this time.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Prittwitz und Gaffron was an ambassador who resigned in 1933. He did this to show he disagreed with Adolf Hitler and his new government.
Ambassadors of the Third Reich
During the time of the Third Reich (1933-1945), Germany's relations with the U.S. became very difficult.
Hans Luther was an ambassador. Later, Hans-Heinrich Dieckhoff was recalled in 1938. This happened because relations worsened after a terrible event called Kristallnacht, where Jewish people were attacked.
Diplomatic relations stopped again on December 11, 1941, because of World War II. They did not start again until September 22, 1949.
Ambassadors of the Federal Republic of Germany
After World War II, West Germany became the Federal Republic of Germany. It re-established diplomatic ties with the U.S.
The first ambassador was Heinrich Krekeler. Since then, many important people have served in this role. They work to keep the strong alliance between Germany and the United States.
Some recent ambassadors include:
- Wolfgang Ischinger (2001–2006)
- Klaus Scharioth (2006–2011)
- Peter Ammon (2011–2014)
- Peter Wittig (2014–2018)
- Emily Haber (2018–2023)
The current German Ambassador to the United States is Andreas Michaelis. He started his role in August 2023.
See also
- Embassy of Germany, Washington, D.C.
- List of ambassadors of the United States to Germany
