Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has died. The Nobel laureate, who was born in Germany, died at his home in Connecticut at the age of 100. This was announced by his consulting firm.
As security advisor and foreign minister to US Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, the Republican significantly shaped US foreign policy. His efforts led to China’s diplomatic opening, arms control negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union, improving relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors, and the Paris Peace Agreement with North Vietnam.
“Henry never made a mistake in his mind”
Ford called Kissinger a “super-secretary of state,” but also pointed to his sharpness and self-assurance, which critics described as paranoia and egotism. Ford said, “Henry never made a mistake in his mind.” While many praised his brilliance, others criticized Kissinger for his support of anti-communist dictatorships, particularly in Latin America.
Kissinger was born in 1923 as Heinz Alfred Kissinger in Fürth, Central Franconia. The Jewish family fled the Nazi regime to the USA in 1938. Kissinger was naturalized there five years later and changed his first name. His rise is reminiscent of the idea of the American dream: After school and military service, Kissinger studied at Harvard; later he taught there. In 1969, then-President Richard Nixon appointed him security adviser and later secretary of state. When it came to foreign policy, he was the most influential politician in Washington.
A significant milestone in his career was the preparation of Nixon’s trip to China. Kissinger traveled to Beijing on a secret mission, paving the way for a visit by Nixon and the normalization of relations. Kissinger became the celebrated architect of the US-China rapprochement. His diplomatic successes did not end there. Kissinger negotiated disarmament treaties and peace agreements and became a media star.
Despite all the protests, he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1973 for his contribution to the peace treaty with Vietnam. Kissinger remained active after his 100th birthday, attending White House meetings, publishing a book on leadership and testifying before a Senate committee about the nuclear threat from North Korea. In July 2023 he made a surprise visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping.