Reframing the Diplomat

Abstract

The Dutch Atlanticist Ernst van der Beugel (1918-2004) was a prominent figure in Cold War transatlantic relations for over four decades. As a modern kind of ‘renaissance man’, he was active in government, politics, the worlds of business and finance as well as academia. After a career with the Dutch government on the frontlines of the Marshall Plan, European integration and transatlantic politics, he switched to a more freestyle approach to diplomacy as a private citizen, most notably through his longtime leadership of the illustrious Bilderberg Meetings and his ties to the European and American foreign policy establishments. While his kaleidoscopic career offers a unique window upon the unofficial dimension of Cold War transatlantic relations, traditional state-centered approaches to diplomatic history have so far prevented a full assessment of his many roles in both formal and informal diplomatic networks. By looking at Ernst van der Beugel through the lens of New Diplomatic History, which emphasizes the role of diplomatic actors and the unofficial dimensions of diplomacy, this dissertation provides an alternative perspective on Cold War transatlantic relations by analyzing Ernst van der Beugel’s diplomatic role through formal and informal channels, both as a government representative and as an unofficial diplomat.