John Kornblum

Former U.S. Ambassador to Germany

John C. Kornblum’s career in the United States Foreign Service began in 1964. As a junior officer, he served in Hamburg and Washington. Then, in 1969, he was assigned as Political Officer in Bonn. Over the following years, he held several policy-related positions at the State Department. These early roles helped him build a solid foundation in European affairs.

Highlights of John Kornblum’s impressive career include the famous 1986 President Reagan “Tear Down the Walls” speech

Topics

The New Relationship between Europe and the US
Security and Cooperation in Europe
The Economic Situation
The New American Politics

Languages

He presents in English and German.

How he presents

Well known for his incisive wit, John entertains and mesmerizes audiences with his humorous presentations making him one of the most sought after speakers currently available to talk in depth on the complexities of transatlantic relations.

Publications

2003
The German Element

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In Detail

In 1985, Kornblum returned to Berlin to serve as U.S. Minister and Deputy Commandant. Later, he was chosen as the U.S. Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO in Brussels. Additionally, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), where he led the American delegation to the 1992 Helsinki Review Conference. Thanks to this extensive experience, he was appointed Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs in 1994. Subsequently, in 1996, he was promoted to Assistant Secretary.

What he offers you

With over three decades of experience John is recognised as one of the US State Department’s leading European specialists, and has an extensive background in the workings of European affairs. He uses his knowledge to show how the United States can strengthen relations with EU partners and achieve common goals. He was one of the architects of the Dayton Peace Agreement and played a central role in conceiving the Administration’s strategy for a new security structure in Europe.