Eleanor Lansing Dulles

In Washington, the name “Dulles” usually evokes long lines at the airport. In a high school classroom, it may be linked to the secretary of state in the 1950s, John Foster Dulles (himself a nephew and grandson of two earlier secretaries of state). But in Berlin, the name is tied firmly to John Foster’s sister, Eleanor Lansing Dulles, an economist who in the 1950s worked at the heart of revitalizing this European city after the Second World War.

Serving as an economics specialist in the U.S. State Department during World War II, Eleanor Dulles was a key figure in the Division of Postwar Planning and became involved in restructuring European economies. Her research helped set the foundation for the Marshall Plan.[1] After several years as the U.S. financial attaché in Austria, she ultimately took charge of the State Department’s Berlin desk in 1952.[2] From there, Dulles led U.S. efforts to reconstruct West Berlin, expand its economy, and dramatically reduce unemployment in an era overshadowed by the growing Cold War.[3] Her steadfast efforts earned her the nickname “the Mother of Berlin.”[4]

In a political establishment dominated by men, Dulles networked with government officials and ministers—while working on postwar planning in Austria, she would invite them to her house to converse and serve them meals prepared from army rations.[5] She was tenacious, and undaunted by the gender challenges of her profession in the 1950s. When asked in an interview, “You know, one wonders whether you might not yourself have been a secretary of state,” she answered simply, “Oh I think I would’ve.”[6]

In the attached video, Dulles is interviewed by then National Portrait Gallery Senior Historian Marc Pachter on November 28, 1988. With characteristic vitality—and still strong at the age of 93 (she lived to be 101)—Dulles recalls how she became the financial attaché in Austria and hints at some of the personal challenges she faced while working within the government.

This interview was recorded as part of the National Portrait Gallery’s “Living Self-Portraits,” a series dedicated to capturing personal narratives of influential figures in American history. The full interview is available for research by appointment within the Audio/Visual Archive of the National Portrait Gallery.