List of ambassadors of Germany to the United States
and the United States have had diplomatic relations since German unification in 1871. Prior to that, the only German states holding diplomatic relations with the U.S. were the Kingdom of Prussia, since 1835, and the three Hanseatic cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck, since 1853.
Relations were broken twice while Germany and the United States were at war.Envoys and ministers of German states
Ministers of Prussia to the United States
Ministers and Ambassadors of the German Empire to the U.S.
- 1871–1882: Kurd von Schlözer, Minister Plenipotentiary
- 1882–1884: Carl von Eisendecher, Minister Plenipotentiary
- 1884–1888: Friedrich Johann Graf von Alvensleben, Minister Plenipotentiary
- 1888–1891: Ludwig, Graf von Arco-Valley, Minister Plenipotentiary
- 1891–1893: Theodor von Holleben, Minister Plenipotentiary
- 1893–1895: Anton Saurma von der Jeltsch
- 1895–1897: Max von Thielmann
- 1897–1903: Theodor von Holleben
- 1903–1908: Hermann Freiherr Speck von Sternburg
- 1908–1917: Johann Heinrich von Bernstorff.
Ambassadors of the Weimar Republic to the U.S.
- 1921–1922: Dr. Karl Lang, Chargé d'Affaires
- 1922–1925: Otto Wiefeldt
- 1925–1927: Adolf Georg von Maltzan
- 1928–1933: Friedrich Wilhelm von Prittwitz und Gaffron.
Ambassadors of the Third Reich to the U.S.
- 1933–1937: Hans Luther
- 1937–1938: Hans-Heinrich Dieckhoff, recalled November 18, 1938 in response to worsening relations with the U.S. due to Kristallnacht, and the U.S. recall of its Ambassador.
- 1938–1941: Hans Thomsen, Chargé d'Affaires
diplomatic relations broken off due to World War II, December 11, 1941- September 22, 1949