Herbert Pell | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador to Hungary | |
| In office February 11, 1941 – November 30, 1942 | |
| President | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | John Flournoy Montgomery |
| Succeeded by | None |
| United States Ambassador to Portugal | |
| In office May 27, 1937 – February 11, 1941 | |
| President | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Robert Granville Caldwell |
| Succeeded by | Bert Fish |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 17th district | |
| In office March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1921 | |
| Preceded by | John F. Carew |
| Succeeded by | Ogden L. Mills |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Herbert Claiborne Pell Jr. February 16, 1884 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 17, 1961 (aged 77) Munich, West Germany |
| Resting place | Atlantic Ocean at Beavertail in Jamestown, Rhode Island |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Matilda Bigelow
(m. 1915; div. 1927)Olive Bigelow Tilton
(m. 1927) |
| Children | Claiborne Pell |
| Education | Pomfret School |
| Alma mater | Harvard University Columbia University New York University |
Herbert Claiborne Pell Jr. (February 16, 1884 – July 17, 1961) was a United States representative from New York, U.S. Minister to Portugal, U.S. Minister to Hungary, and a creator and member of the United Nations War Crimes Commission.
A native of New York City and a member of the prominent and wealthy Lorillard and Claiborne families, Pell was educated at Connecticut's Pomfret School and attended Harvard University, Columbia University, and New York University. Originally active in politics as a Progressive, he later became a Democrat. In 1918, Pell was elected to Congress, and he served from 1919 to 1921. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1920. Pell continued to remain active in politics, and was chairman of the New York State Democratic Committee from 1921 to 1926 and a delegate to the 1924 Democratic National Convention. He served as vice chairman of the Democratic National Campaign Committee for the 1936 elections.
In 1937, Pell was appointed as Minister to Portugal, where he served from May 27, 1937, until February 11, 1941, when he was appointed Minister to Hungary. In December 1941, Pell received Hungary's declaration of war against the United States, closed the embassy and returned to the United States. He formally resigned in November 1942. From 1942 to 1945, Pell was the United States representative on the United Nations War Crimes Commission. Pell was recognized as an internationalist on foreign policy and a progressive despite coming from the wealthy and conservative class, which tended to be isolationist. He was the leading American seeking to build awareness of the plight of European Jews in the 1930s and 1940s and prevent the Holocaust, and was able to aid in holding the perpetrators responsible as the principal U.S. sponsor of and U.S. representative of the War Crimes Commission.
Pell died in Munich, West Germany on July 17, 1961. His remains were cremated and scattered in the Atlantic Ocean at Beavertail in Jamestown, Rhode Island.