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Title: George W. Landau papers
Date (inclusive): 1942-2006
Collection Number: 2007C19
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In English and Spanish
Physical Description:
36 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize boxes
(15 Linear Feet)
Abstract: Speeches and writings, correspondence, memoranda, reports, clippings and other printed matter, video tapes, and photographs
relating to American relations with Paraguay, Chile, Venezuela, and other countries in Latin America.
Creator:
Landau, George W., 1920-
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2007.
[Identification of item], George W. Landau papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
George W. Landau was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1920. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States of America in
1943. In 1942, he joined the United States Army as a private and had achieved the rank of Captain by the end of his active
duty in 1947. His fluency in German and his Austrian origin made him valuable to the United States Military Intelligence Service
in Austria during World War II. In 1947, Landau became an active reserve officer until he retired as a Colonel in 1975.
From 1942 to 1955, George W. Landau was an assistant vice-president at Inta-Mar Shipping Corp, in charge of the Latin-American
Division of the international freight forwarder. In 1955, he worked in Colombia as the general manager of a distributor for
Chrysler. In 1957, he entered the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State and was stationed in Montevideo, Uruguay,
as the commercial attaché and chief of the economic section until 1962. From 1962 to 1965 he worked as the supervising political
officer in Madrid, Spain. He attended the Canadian National Defense College in Ontario from 1965-1966.
Between 1966 and 1972, Landau worked as the country director in the Office of Spanish and Portuguese Affairs at the State
Department in Washington. He became the ambassador to Paraguay in 1972 and remained there until 1977. His career as ambassador
to Paraguay was marked by the controversy surrounding the Letelier Case. Orlando Letelier, the former Chilean defense minister
in the government of Salvador Allende, was assassinated in Washington, DC in 1976. Landau served as the ambassador to Chile
from 1977 until 1982. His career in Chile was defined by his involvement in the resolution of the Beagle Channel Conflict
between Chile and Argentina regarding control of islands and waterways strategically located off the southern edge of Tierra
del Fuego. He was nominated as the ambassador to Guatemala in 1980, but the nomination was aborted. Landau served as the ambassador
to Venezuela from 1982 to 1985.
From 1985 to 1993, he was the President of the Council of the Americas and Americas Society. During his time with the council
he served on the boards of several private companies with interests in South America. In 1993, Landau retired as President
of the council and moved to Florida with his wife, Mary Landau.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection contains documents and video related to the life of George W. Landau, starting with his entrance into active
duty with the United States Army during 1942 until his retirement as president of the Council of the Americas and Americas
Society in 1993. From George W. Landau's early military career the collection contains military awards, certificates, and
intelligence correspondence by the U.S. Army from World War II.
The collection is comprised primarily of diplomatic correspondence, speeches and writings, memoranda, reports, interviews,
clippings, other printed matter, videocassettes, and photographs relating to American relations with Spain, Portugal, Paraguay,
Chile, Guatemala, and Venezuela during George W. Landau's career in the U.S. Foreign Service. There are documents pertaining
to the Letelier Case (the assassination of Orlando Letelier, a Chilean political figure and activist, in Washington, D.C.
in 1976) and the Beagle Channel Conflict between Chile and Argentina regarding control of islands and waterways strategically
located off the southern edge of Tierra del Fuego.
Further personal and professional correspondence, clippings, and other printed matter exist from his career as president of
the Council of the Americas and Americas Society.
The material reflects the original order of the papers when received from the donor.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Video tapes
United States -- Foreign relations -- Chile
Chile -- Foreign relations -- United States
Diplomats -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- Latin America
Latin America -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- Paraguay
Paraguay -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States -- Foreign relations -- Venezuela
Venezuela -- Foreign relations -- United States
United States. Department of State