Henry Bardach, CCAS AA ’47, ESIA BA ’48

Henry Bardach, CCAS AA ’47, ESIA BA ’48, a Foreign Service economics and commercial officer who became director of the Office of Economic Policy in the State Department’s East Asia bureau, died Jan. 1.

Mr. Bardach served at the State Department from 1951 to 1985. Over the years, his assignments included Hong Kong, Indonesia, Switzerland and Austria. In 1968, he was a top official on the Korea desk and helped negotiate with North Korea for the release of American sailors from the USS Pueblo. North Korea claimed the lightly armed spy ship had sailed into its territorial waters, leading to its capture. In retirement, Mr. Bardach continued to do work part-time for the State Department.

Gerd Heinz Bardach was born in Dusseldorf, Germany, and grew up in England and in the New York City borough of Queens. His family, which was Jewish, had left Germany during the Nazi rise to power. He served in the Army doing intelligence work during World War II and participated in the Normandy invasion.

His military awards included the Bronze Star. His memberships included the Washington Performing Arts Society and the Wagner Society. He helped revive the musicales series at DACOR, an organization for Foreign Service employees.

Read the full tribute at the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/henry-bardach-state-department-official/2012/01/12/gIQABylHuP_story.html

 

 

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