Columbia Center for Oral History Portal > Reminiscences of Benjamin J. Buttenwieser : oral history, 1979.
| Creator: | Buttenwieser, Benjamin J. 1900-1991 | Project: | Individual interviews oral history collection.
(see all project interviews) | Phys. Desc. : | Transcript 813 leaves. Tape 18 cassettes. | | Location: | Columbia Center for Oral History | | Full CLIO record >> |
Biographical NoteBenjamin Buttenwieser (1900-1991) was an American banker and philanthropist. Buttenwieser was born in New York City, and was the son of Joseph L. and Caroline Weil Buttenwieser. He graduated from Columbia College in 1919. That year he started with the banking house Kuhn, Loeb and Company, and he was a partner with the firm from 1932 until its merger with Lehman Brothers in 1977. In 1929, he married Helen Lehman, an attorney and civic leader. Buttenwieser served in the Navy during World War II, and in 1949 he was appointed United States Assistant High Commissioner in Germany. He spent two years in the role, as the United States, United Kingdom and France oversaw the establishment of West Germany. Back in the United States, Buttenwieser resumed his activities as a philanthropist and civic leader. He was a leader or supporter of a diverse range of organizations including Columbia University, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, Lenox Hill Hospital, the New York Philharmonic, Fisk University, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, New York City Police Foundation, and the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.
Scope and ContentsBenjamin Buttenwieser begins the interview by speaking at length about his service as the United States Assistant High Commissioner in Germany from 1949-1951. This includes his analyses of the political, military, economic, and social aspects of the Allied presence in Germany following World War II. The interview also addresses Buttenwieser's relationship with Columbia, including his undergraduate days (class of 1919), his duties with the University Alumni Association, and his longtime service on the University Board of Trustees, starting in 1959. Topics covered include university endowments, differences between private and state universities, and the future of higher education. Buttenwieser also discusses the development of the investment banking business in the United States and his involvement in Kuhn, Loeb and Company, beginning in 1919. Specific topics addressed include steel and railroad securities, the Pecora investigation of 1933, and Kuhn, Loeb and Company's 1977 merger with Lehman Brothers. He also shares memories of friends and family, including his marriage to Helen Lehman. He describes his service in World War II as a Commander in the United States Naval Reserve from 1942-1945. He also discusses his philanthropic activities, including his presidency of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York, his service as Chairman of Lenox Hill Hospital, his activities as a Trustee of Fisk University, and his involvement with the New York Philharmonic, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, and New York City Police Foundation. Friends, family, and associates discussed during the course of the interview include Herbert and Edith Lehman, Arthur and Adele Lehman, John McCloy, Konrad Adenauer, Nicholas Murray Butler, and William McGill.
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