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Arthur A. Hartman, U.S. Ambassador to Soviet Union, Dies at 89 Arthur A. Hartman, U.S. Ambassador to Soviet Union, Dies at 89
(4 days later)
Arthur A. Hartman, who was Washington’s longest-serving ambassador to the Soviet Union and the Reagan administration’s point man in Moscow during a succession of delicate Cold War crises, died on Monday in Washington. He was 89. Arthur A. Hartman, who was Washington’s longest-serving ambassador to the Soviet Union and the Reagan administration’s point man in Moscow during a succession of delicate Cold War crises, died on March 16 in Washington. He was 89.
The cause was complications after surgery for a leg he broke in a fall, his daughter Lise Hartman de Fouchier said.The cause was complications after surgery for a leg he broke in a fall, his daughter Lise Hartman de Fouchier said.
For nearly four decades after quitting Harvard Law School in 1948, Mr. Hartman filled a dozen or so economic and diplomatic Foreign Service posts under both Republican and Democratic administrations. President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, named him ambassador to France in 1977 — he was only the second career diplomat since World War II, after Charles E. Bohlen, to hold the Paris post — and Ronald Reagan, a Republican, appointed him envoy to the Soviet Union in 1981. For nearly four decades after quitting Harvard Law School in 1948, Mr. Hartman filled a dozen or so economic and diplomatic Foreign Service posts under both Republican and Democratic administrations. President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, named him ambassador to France in 1977 — he was only the second career diplomat since World War II, after Charles E. Bohlen, to hold the Paris post — and President Ronald Reagan, a Republican, appointed him envoy to the Soviet Union in 1981.
His tenure in Moscow bridged the tense aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the shooting down of a Korean airliner by the Russian Air Force, the arrest of an American journalist as a spy, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the abandonment of the unfinished eight-story United States embassy in Moscow after electronic listening devices were discovered, and the beginnings of glasnost, or transparency, under Mikhail S. Gorbachev in the waning years of Soviet Communism. His tenure in Moscow bridged the tense aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the shooting down of a South Korean airliner by the Soviet Air Force, the arrest of an American journalist as a spy, the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the abandonment of the unfinished eight-story United States Embassy in Moscow after electronic listening devices were discovered, and the beginnings of glasnost, or transparency, under Mikhail S. Gorbachev in the waning years of Soviet Communism.
In France, without mincing words, he managed not only to get along with Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, a centrist, and François Mitterrand, a Socialist; he also captivated normally unimpressible Parisians. One week, Le Nouvel Observateur even chose Mr. Hartman as the arbiter of local cultural events. In France, without mincing words, Mr. Hartman not only managed to get along with Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, a centrist, and François Mitterrand, a Socialist, but he also captivated normally unimpressible Parisians. One week, Le Nouvel Observateur even chose Mr. Hartman as the arbiter of local cultural events.
“That the newspaper, a pillar of the French left, should pick the American ambassador to tell Parisian intellectuals what to go see or hear was nothing short of remarkable,” The New York Times said in a profile of him. “Not since Benjamin Franklin has an American envoy to France been given such public recognition for his culture.” “That the newspaper, a pillar of the French left, should pick the American ambassador to tell Parisian intellectuals what to go see or hear was nothing short of remarkable,” The New York Times said in a 1981 profile of him. “Not since Benjamin Franklin has an American envoy to France been given such public recognition for his culture.”
Arthur Adair Hartman was born on March 12, 1926, in Flushing, Queens, to Joel Hartman, who owned a paper mill, and the former May Weinstein. He graduated from Flushing High School, served in the Army Air Corps in Asia in World War II, returned to graduate from Harvard University and left law school to join the Marshall Plan administration in Europe. His next step was the Foreign Service, and he served in Saigon in the 1950s.Arthur Adair Hartman was born on March 12, 1926, in Flushing, Queens, to Joel Hartman, who owned a paper mill, and the former May Weinstein. He graduated from Flushing High School, served in the Army Air Corps in Asia in World War II, returned to graduate from Harvard University and left law school to join the Marshall Plan administration in Europe. His next step was the Foreign Service, and he served in Saigon in the 1950s.
Before being posted to Paris, among his posts were under secretary of state for economic affairs in the 1960s and assistant secretary of state for European affairs under Henry A. Kissinger.Before being posted to Paris, among his posts were under secretary of state for economic affairs in the 1960s and assistant secretary of state for European affairs under Henry A. Kissinger.
Elegant and intellectual, Mr. Hartman was described in the Times profile as “silver-haired, tall, and with a slight stoop that is more purposeful — it is, after all, necessary to communicate with shorter people — than deferential.”Elegant and intellectual, Mr. Hartman was described in the Times profile as “silver-haired, tall, and with a slight stoop that is more purposeful — it is, after all, necessary to communicate with shorter people — than deferential.”
In an email, Leslie Gelb, a former assistant secretary of state, said of Mr. Hartman, “Instead of taking on direct fights, he’d often ask questions designed to show the silliness or unworkability of what was being discussed.”In an email, Leslie Gelb, a former assistant secretary of state, said of Mr. Hartman, “Instead of taking on direct fights, he’d often ask questions designed to show the silliness or unworkability of what was being discussed.”
In Moscow he dealt with four successive Soviet leaders. Even before he formally presented his credentials, he had to assure the Soviets that President Reagan had misspoken when he suggested that a limited nuclear war could be waged in Europe without spreading to the United States. He later defended trade sanctions imposed by Washington to punish human rights abuses and rebuked American businessmen for balking at them. In Moscow Mr. Hartman dealt with four successive Soviet leaders. Even before he formally presented his credentials, he had to assure the Soviets that President Reagan had misspoken when he suggested that a limited nuclear war could be waged in Europe without spreading to the United States. He later defended trade sanctions imposed by Washington to punish human rights abuses and rebuked American businessmen for balking at them.
He left Moscow in 1987 and was succeeded by Jack F. Matlock Jr., another career diplomat.He left Moscow in 1987 and was succeeded by Jack F. Matlock Jr., another career diplomat.
Besides his daughter Lise, Mr. Hartman is survived by his wife, the former Donna Van Dyke Ford, whom he married in 1949; four other children, David, John, Ben and Sarah Hartman; 15 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The couple lived in Washington. He died in a hospital there.Besides his daughter Lise, Mr. Hartman is survived by his wife, the former Donna Van Dyke Ford, whom he married in 1949; four other children, David, John, Ben and Sarah Hartman; 15 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. The couple lived in Washington. He died in a hospital there.
In Moscow, the Hartmans transformed the ambassador’s residence, Spaso House, into a gathering place for intellectuals, dissidents and artists. Some of them, including the pianist Vladimir Feltsman, were allowed to emigrate at the couple’s behest. Vladimir Horowitz, the Russian-born pianist, stayed there when he returned to his homeland for the first time in six decades.In Moscow, the Hartmans transformed the ambassador’s residence, Spaso House, into a gathering place for intellectuals, dissidents and artists. Some of them, including the pianist Vladimir Feltsman, were allowed to emigrate at the couple’s behest. Vladimir Horowitz, the Russian-born pianist, stayed there when he returned to his homeland for the first time in six decades.
Mrs. Hartman organized the gatherings, a task made more challenging when the Kremlin barred 260 Soviet nationals from working for the embassy in response to accusations of security breaches there. She had to do the cooking. He drove himself to work. Mrs. Hartman organized the gatherings, a task made more challenging when the Kremlin barred 260 Soviet nationals from working for the embassy in response to accusations of security breaches there. She had to do the cooking. Mr. Hartman drove himself to work.
The allegations prompted an American investigation, which criticized the ambassador for failing to correct lapses that led to the bugging of typewriters and the seduction of Marines stationed at the embassy. Mr. Hartman said the criticism was unfair. American officials did not offer any evidence that secrets had been compromised. The allegations prompted an American investigation, which criticized the ambassador for failing to correct lapses that had led to the bugging of typewriters and the seduction of Marines stationed at the embassy. Mr. Hartman said the criticism was unfair. American officials did not offer any evidence that secrets had been compromised.
Years later, according to a former colleague, David Kenney, Mr. Hartman remembered telling the investigators that while it would have been disturbing if Soviet agents had indeed penetrated the old embassy and intercepted messages between Washington and Moscow, there might have been a bright side.Years later, according to a former colleague, David Kenney, Mr. Hartman remembered telling the investigators that while it would have been disturbing if Soviet agents had indeed penetrated the old embassy and intercepted messages between Washington and Moscow, there might have been a bright side.
“At least,” he was said to have remarked, “they would have learned that we were telling them the truth.”“At least,” he was said to have remarked, “they would have learned that we were telling them the truth.”