Bernard Gufler

Bernard Anthony Gufler (1 June 1903 – 6 September 1973) was a distinguished American diplomat and member of the United States Foreign Service.

[1] He was born on 1 June 1903, in Lawrence city, Douglas County, Kansas, United States[2] to a Catholic family.

He joined the United States Foreign Service in 1929 and served in postings in Canada, Latvia, Poland and Lithuania during the years before and during World War II[5] and was US chief of mission in Berlin, East Germany, during 1955–58.

[11] During the peak of the Cold War in Berlin, he is remembered by other senior diplomats as the 'de facto ambassador' , in fact running the United States mission effectively, in 'counterpoise' to Soviet actions and intentions.

[12][13] About his role in South Asia[14] a Pakistani senior diplomat commented that his services were 'invaluable' in promoting the United States' positive image and winning people 'towards realizing the Cold War imperatives' as espoused by the Americans.

Gufler (second from left) with President Kennedy and other ambassadors in March 1961