“he did not know about the murder of civilians there”
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Kurt Waldheim
Kurt Josef Waldheim was an Austrian politician and diplomat. Waldheim was the secretary-general of the United Nations from 1972 to 1981 and the president of Austria from 1986 to 1992.
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politics · Austrian diplomat and politician (1918–2007) · politician · diplomat · autobiographer · military personnel · lawyer · university teacher · jurist · also Kurt Waldheim, Kurt Josef Waldheim, Kurt Waclawik, Waldheim
Born 21 December 1918 · Died 14 June 2007 · Q1260
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The Voyager Interstellar Record - 131 Greetings From The Secretary General Of The UN Kurt Waldh (1)
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2026· 2 entries
The New York Times: Kurt Waldheim
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2007· 8 entries
DiePresse: Kurt Waldheim: Der umstrittene Präsident
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DiePresse: Kurt Waldheim 88-jährig verstorben
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World Socialist Web Site: Zum Tod von Kurt Waldheim (1918 - 2007)
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New York Post: KURT WALDHEIM, 1918-2007
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The Washington Post: Kurt Waldheim; Led U.N., Austria; Suspected of Nazi Ties
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Died 2007-06-14.
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Time: The Skeletons of Kurt Waldheim
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“You must not expect the United Nations to accomplish miracles. We are made up of sovereign nations. We can only accomplish what our member nations allow us to accomplish.”
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1994· 3 entries
This papal honor drew fierce international criticism at the time due to the Waldheim affair
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Pope John Paul II awarded Waldheim a knighthood in the Order of Pius IX and his wife a papal honor
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By that agency, and it is available at the agency's website
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1992· 1 entry
Waldheim did not seek re-election
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1986· 2 entries
Waldheim said that he had served only as an interpreter and a clerk and had no knowledge either of reprisals against local Serb civilians or of massacres in neighboring provinces of Yugoslavia
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Career landmark: President of Austria (1986–1992).
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1985· 1 entry
What became known internationally as the "Waldheim affair" began
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1980· 1 entry
Waldheim flew to Iran in an attempt to negotiate the release of the American hostages held in Tehran, but Ayatollah Khomeini refused to see him
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1977· 2 entries
Won United Nations Peace Medal (1977).
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Waldheim recorded a greeting for the Voyager Golden Records, a pair of discs containing sounds and images representing the diversity of life and culture on Earth, which were launched into deep space on the Voyager spacec
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1976· 1 entry
Awarded honorary doctorate from the University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis (1976).
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1972· 2 entries
Career landmark: United Nations Secretary-General (1972–1981).
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Used that information to extract concessions at the United Nations that facilitated KGB espionage in the United States, and that the CIA's failure to anticipate this possibility was a major failure for the intelligence a
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1971· 1 entry
But his second attempt on 8 June 1986 proved successful
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1969· 1 entry
Grand Star of the Decoration of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria in 1986
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1968· 2 entries
Career landmark: Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria (1968–1970).
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Was the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Austrian People's Party, before going back in 1970 as Permanent Representative to the UN
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1956· 1 entry
Was made Ambassador to Canada, returning to the Ministry in 1960, after which he became the Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in 1964
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1945· 1 entry
Waldheim surrendered to British forces in Carinthia, at which point he said he had fled his command post within Army Group E, where he was serving with General Alexander Löhr
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1944· 1 entry
Waldheim reviewed and approved a packet of antisemitic propaganda leaflets to be dropped behind Soviet lines, one of which ended: "Enough of the Jewish war, kill the Jews, come over
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1943· 1 entry
And was taken to Athens along with other prisoners captured under circumstances that might have led to their executions had not Waldheim exchanged their identity tags for those of Allied soldiers killed in action
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1942· 1 entry
War Merit Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class with Swords
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1938· 2 entries
Career landmark: military officer (1938).
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And while actively campaigning against it in Vienna was attacked and injured by Austrian Nazis
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1918· 1 entry
Born 1918-12-21.
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