Lev Dobriansky

Lev E. Dobriansky, Ph.D. (November 9, 1918 - January 30, 2008) was a professor of economics at Georgetown University, U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas and anti-communist advocate. He is perhaps best known for his work with the National Captive Nations Committee and the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation.

Life and education

Dobriansky was born on November 9, 1918 in New York City, the son of Ukrainian immigrants. He received an undergraduate degree in 1941 and a master's degree in 1943 from New York University, where he was an instructor of economics throughout the 1940s. He received his doctorate from NYU in 1951. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/05/AR2008020503179.html?tid=informbox Washington Post Obituary] ] His dissertation was a critique of the economist Thorstein Veblen. [ [http://ann.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/321/1/196 Veblenism: A New Critique] ]

He taught economics at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. from 1948 until his retirement in 1987. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/05/AR2008020503179.html?tid=informbox Lev E. Dobriansky, 89; Professor and Foe of Communism - washingtonpost.com ] ] During his tenure there, he became a Professor Emeritus and taught such classes as "Soviet Economics." [ [http://www.georgetown.edu/undergrad/bulletin/emeriti.html Georgetown Professors Emeriti] ] [ [http://www.acuf.org/issues/issue101/commentslev.asp A Georgetown student remembers Prof. Dobriansky] ] Among his students was Kateryna Yushchenko (née Chumachenko), the future First Lady of Ukraine. [http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/9123.html Kateryna Yushchenko's speech at Dr. Dobriansky's memorial service] ] In 1970, he founded and directed the Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems at Georgetown. [ [http://www.thehoya.com/node/15297 Obituary in The Hoya] ]

He was also a faculty member at the National War College in 1957-1958, and served as a consultant for the United States Department of State, the International Communication Agency, and the United States House of Representatives. [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=41909 President Reagan names Dobriansky ambassador to Bahamas] ]

His daughter, Paula Dobriansky, is a senior officer in the Department of State and one of the early neo-conservatives.Fact|date=April 2008 His other daughter, Larisa Dobriansky, is a lawyer specializing in environmental issues who has worked at the United States Department of Energy and has also been party to the undermining of the adoption of the Kyoto Environmental treaty.Fact|date=April 2008 She also was an environmental lawyer at Akin Gump.Fact|date=April 2008

Diplomatic service

Dobriansky briefly worked in an official capacity in Chile (1975-1976).Fact|date=April 2008

On October 25, 1982, Dobriansky was nominated by President Ronald Reagan as Ambassador to the Bahamas, succeed the previous ambassador, William B. Schwartz. [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=41909] Dobriansky remained on this post until August 30, 1986. [ [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/com/10379.htm List of American ambassadors to the Bahamas] ]

Anti-communist activism

Dobriansky wrote the Captive Nations Week Resolution, which was adopted by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in July 1959. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/05/AR2008020503179.html?tid=informbox Lev E. Dobriansky, 89; Professor and Foe of Communism - washingtonpost.com ] ] As a result of his activism, this resolution has been proclaimed every year by each successive president. [ [http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080209/EDITORIAL/396090091 Obituary-editorial in the Washington Times] ] He also founded and chaired for many years the related National Captive Nations Committee, which advocated for the nations memorialized in the resolution. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E5DD1539F930A15751C1A963958260 NY Times article about the progress of the Victims of Communism Memorial in 1995] ]

In 1993, Congress authorized the NCNC to begin raising funds to build a Victims of Communism Memorial. [ [http://bulk.resource.org/gpo.gov/bills/103/hj237ih.txt Text of bill authorizing memorial] ] To this end, Dobriansky helped create the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, along with such conservative notables as Lee Edwards, Grover Norquist, and Zbigniew Brzezinski. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F03E5DD1539F930A15751C1A963958260 For the Victims of Communism - New York Times ] ] He served as the Foundation's first chairman. [http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25023 Lee Edwards' obituary at Human Events] ] After many years of fundraising and advocacy, the Memorial was finally completed on June 12, 2007, less than a year before Dobriansky's death. [ [http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/June/20070612153648idybeekcm0.967312.html President Bush Dedicates Memorial to Victims of Communism] ]

Dobriansky also played a role in the construction of another Washington, D.C. monument - a statue of Taras Shevchenko, the Ukrainian nationalist and artist. [http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=25023 Remembering ‘Mr. Captive Nations’ Lev Dobriansky - HUMAN EVENTS ] ]

Dobriansky was, in the course of his life, also involved in the Ukrainian National Information Service, the American Council for World Freedom, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, and the United States Council for World freedom.Fact|date=April 2008 His death on January 30, 2008 was mourned by many across the globe, including Viktor Yushchenko, the president of Ukraine. [ [http://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/8842.html President Yushchenko of Ukraine mourns death of Lev Dobriansky] ]

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