Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
View entire collection guide
Search this collection
Table of contents
Title: George W. Landau papers
Dates: 1942-2006
Collection Number: 2007C19
Creator: Landau, George W., 1920-
Collection Size:
8 manuscript boxes
(3.2 linear feet)
Repository:
Hoover Institution Archives
Stanford, California 94305-6010
Abstract: Speeches and writings, correspondence, memoranda, reports, clippings and other printed matter, and video tapes, relating to
American relations with Paraguay, Chile, Venezuela, and other countries in Latin America.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Archives
Languages:
English and
Spanish
Collection is open for research.
Access to sound recordings, video recordings, or motion picture material requires at least two weeks advance notice. Please
contact the Hoover Institution Archives for further information.
For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Archives.
[Identification of item], George W. Landau papers, [Box number], Hoover Institution Archives.
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Archives in 2007.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. To determine if this has occurred, find
the collection in Stanford University's online catalog Socrates at
http://library.stanford.edu/webcat . Materials have been added to the collection if the number of boxes listed in Socrates is larger than the number of boxes
listed in this finding aid.
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 and videocassettes, 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.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
United States. Dept. of State.
United States Foreign relations Paraguay.
Paraguay Foreign relations United States.
United States Foreign relations Chile.
Chile Foreign relations United States.
United States Foreign relations Venezuela.
Venezuela Foreign relations United States.
United States Foreign relations Latin America.
Latin America Foreign relations United States.
Videotapes
Diplomats United States.