Oscar Solbert
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Oscar Nathaniel Solbert (originally Sohlberg; January 22, 1885 – April 16, 1958) was an American general, business executive and the first director of the George Eastman Museum.
Early life
Oscar Sohlberg was born in a little town in the north of Sweden on January 22, 1885, one of a family of five children whose parents were simple people of modest circumstances.[1] His childhood days in Sweden left him with a lifelong interest in the country and everything Swedish. When Sohlberg was eight years old, his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Worcester, Massachusetts. Here, he supplemented the family income by the traditional method of peddling newspapers as well as teaching school at night and working in summer resorts during vacations to help pay for his own schooling.
West Point
After two years at the
In March 1917, he legally changed the spelling of his surname to Solbert.[1]
It was during his tour of duty at the Academy that he was married to Elizabeth Abernathy (November 20, 1895 – March 13, 1973). They had first met at
World War I
When the United States entered World War I, the United States were almost entirely dependent on allies for intelligence on what was going on inside Germany. The Scandinavian countries adjacent to her were a potential source of information of great military value and, as a Military Attaché to the neutral countries of Denmark and Norway, Solbert shared with his colleagues the task of setting up a system of contacts within Germany to obtain these vital secrets. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his World War I service.[4]
Inter-war years
For five years after the first war, from 1919 to 1924, he served as Military Attaché in London. Between 1924 and 1925 he acted as Military Aide in the White House. In Washington he met Lawrence Whiting, a prominent Chicago industrialist, who offered him a job in Chicago. He resigned his commission as a major on September 20, 1925. While Solbert was still associated with Whiting, an old friend,
When the Kodak International Photographic Contest was organized in 1931, an imposing list of royalty and other prominent personages were persuaded to lend their names as patrons of this event.
World War II
With his military background, it was only natural that Solbert should return to the service in World War II. Here, again, he performed unusual services for which his background and international experience fitted him so well. He went in January 1943 to England, where his friend, Anthony Drexel Biddle, was assigned as Ambassador to the European governments in exile in London. It was a peculiarly difficult task to deal with governments which had no one to govern, and whose interests were not always wholly compatible with those of the warring allies, but Solbert's tact and personal knowledge of most of the countries he was dealing with won him the highest commendation from Ambassador Biddle and his charges. In July 1943, while still a Colonel, he became Chief of Special Services, Army Service Forces and Communications Zone, European Theater of Operations, and was promoted to Brigadier General in October 1944 in recognition of his successful work in organizing and directing entertainment, recreational, and educational programs for the men of that Theater.[5] During this time, he intervened in General Patton's ongoing feud with Bill Mauldin, of whose cartoons he was a fan.[6] Solbert was awarded the Legion of Merit and a Bronze Star Medal for his World War II service.[4] At the war's end, he returned to Kodak as a member of the executive staff until his retirement from the company in 1949.
Post-World War II
The qualities which had made for Solbert's successful career as an officer and a business executive proved to be equally applicable to this career as the first Director of the George Eastman Museum (then George Eastman House). Supported by curator Beaumont Newhall, Oscar Solbert was the guiding spirit behind many of the museums activities and responsible in large part for important additions to the physical plant of the institution. The Dryden Theatre, the Strong film vaults, and other important additions to the institution, were given by their generous donors in response to Solbert's eloquent presentation of the contribution these addition would make to the work of the museum. His friends were world wide and a reflection of his varied interests. Solbert had living quarters on the third floor of George Eastman's mansion until the day of his death, and continued to be a young appearing and vigorous individual who enjoyed life, belying his seventy three years.
Solbert died in his quarters on April 16, 1958 after suffering a heart attack.[2] He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery eight days later.[3][7]
References
- ^ a b c Cullum, George Washington (1920). Robinson, Wirt (ed.). Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. From Its Establishment, in 1802, to 1890. Vol. VI-B: 1910–1920. Association of Graduates, United States Military Academy. p. 1471. Retrieved August 15, 2022 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "Oscar Solbert, 73, A Retired General" (PDF). The New York Times. April 17, 1958. p. 31. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ ProQuest 148951336. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ a b "Class of 1910—Register of Graduates". Official Register of the Officers and Cadets. United States Military Academy. 1971. p. 326. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Solbert gets Truman OK (KODAKERY, June 5, 1947)
- ^ Bill Mauldin: A life Up Front, Todd DePastino, W.W. Norton Company, 2008
- ^ "Solbert, Oscar N". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
