Helmut Sonnenfeldt
Encyclopedia
Helmut Sonnenfeldt is an American
foreign policy expert.
Born in 1926 in Berlin, Germany to Drs. Walther and Gertrud Sonnenfeldt, he spent his childhood in Gardelegen
, Germany, where his parents had a family medical practice. In 1938, Sonnenfeldt was sent to Anna Essinger
's Bunce Court School
in England, as was his brother, Richard Sonnenfeldt
. Helmut Sonnenfeldt remained in England until 1944, when he immigrated to the United States and rejoined his parents, who had resettled in Baltimore, Maryland. He entered the U.S. Army in 1944, became a naturalized American citizen and served in both the Philippines
and in the U.S. occupation forces in Germany
.
After military service, he attended Johns Hopkins University
(BA 1950, MA 1951, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies).
from 1969-1974. In 1974, he was appointed Counselor of the U.S. Department of State, where he served from 1974-77.
After leaving government service, he was a visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Since 1978, he has been a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution
in Washington, D.C.
He has also been honored by the governments of France, Germany, Luxembourg and Sweden.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
foreign policy expert.
Born in 1926 in Berlin, Germany to Drs. Walther and Gertrud Sonnenfeldt, he spent his childhood in Gardelegen
Gardelegen
Gardelegen is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Milde, 20 m. W. from Stendal, on the main line of railway Berlin-Hanover....
, Germany, where his parents had a family medical practice. In 1938, Sonnenfeldt was sent to Anna Essinger
Anna Essinger
Anna Essinger was a German-Jewish educator. At the age of 20, she went to finish her education in the United States, where she encountered Quakers and was greatly influenced by their attitudes, adopting them for her own...
's Bunce Court School
Bunce Court School
The Bunce Court School was an independent, private boarding school in the village of Otterden, in Kent, England. It was founded in 1933 by Anna Essinger, who had previously founded a boarding school, Landschulheim Herrlingen in the south of Germany, but after the Nazi Party seized power in 1933,...
in England, as was his brother, Richard Sonnenfeldt
Richard Sonnenfeldt
Richard W. Sonnenfeldt - was a Jewish-American engineer and corporate executive most notable for being the U.S...
. Helmut Sonnenfeldt remained in England until 1944, when he immigrated to the United States and rejoined his parents, who had resettled in Baltimore, Maryland. He entered the U.S. Army in 1944, became a naturalized American citizen and served in both the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and in the U.S. occupation forces in 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...
.
After military service, he attended Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
(BA 1950, MA 1951, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies).
Family
In 1953, he married Marjorie Hecht. They have three children: Babette Hecht, Walter Herman and Stewart Hecht.Life
Helmut Sonnenfeldt entered service in the U.S. Department of State in 1952 as a member of the staff of the Office of Research on the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and served as the Director of that Office from 1963-1969. He was a senior staff member of the National Security CouncilUnited 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...
from 1969-1974. In 1974, he was appointed Counselor of the U.S. Department of State, where he served from 1974-77.
After leaving government service, he was a visiting scholar at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Since 1978, he has been a Guest Scholar at the Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., in the United States. One of Washington's oldest think tanks, Brookings conducts research and education in the social sciences, primarily in economics, metropolitan policy, governance, foreign policy, and...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Publications
He is author of the following books and articles:- Sonnenfeldt, Helmut. Soviet Style in International Politics. Washington, DC: Washington Institute for Values in Public Policy (1985) ISBN 9780887020100
- Sonnenfeldt, Helmut. Soviet Politics in the 1980s. Boulder: Westview Press (1985) ISBN 9780865318632
- Sonnenfeldt, Helmut, and Hyland, William G. Soviet Perspectives on Security. Adelphi papers, no. 150. London: International Institute for Strategic Studies (1979) ISBN 9780860790273
Awards
- 1997 Leo-Baeck-MedalLeo-Baeck-MedalThe Leo-Baeck-Medal has been awarded since 1978 by the Leo Baeck Institut of New York and is given for special efforts in German-Jewish reconciliation....
- Johns Hopkins UniversityJohns Hopkins UniversityThe Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Navy Superior Public Service Award
He has also been honored by the governments of France, Germany, Luxembourg and Sweden.