page_title: Embassy of Germany, Washington, D.C.
section_title: Early period
hierarchical_section_title: Embassy of Germany, Washington, D.C. / History / Early period
caption_attribution_description: English: The German embassy's former location in Washington, D.C.
context_page_description: The German Embassy in Washington, D.C. is the Federal Republic of Germany's diplomatic mission to the United States. Its chancery, designed by Egon Eiermann and opened in 1964, is located in northwest Washington, D.C. As of 2018, the German ambassador to the United States is Emily Haber.
context_section_description: Germany and the United States first established diplomatic relations in 1871, the year of the establishment of the German Empire. 
  In 1894 the German embassy occupied a new chancery at 1435 Massachusetts Avenue. That building, constructed in 1873 as a private residence on a design by Adolf Cluss, was subsequently expanded to include 70 rooms, and would be occupied by Germany – with wartime interruptions – for nearly 50 years. The opening of the embassy was marked by a formal ball attended by 500 members of the Washington diplomatic corps, along with several members of the United States Congress and Chief Justice of the United States Melville Fuller. Music was provided by a detachment of the United States Marine Band. In this early period the embassy also hosted the return visit of President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt to Prince Henry of Prussia during the prince's official visit to the United States in 1902.
  During the years prior to American entry into World War I, Franz von Papen was posted at the embassy as a military attache, though was ultimately declared persona non grata by the U.S. government as a result of suspected espionage. In February 1917 the United States terminated diplomatic relations with Germany. Staff of the embassy were returned their passports by the U.S. government and departed for Germany shortly thereafter.
  Following the conclusion of World War I, in 1921, Germany reestablished diplomatic relations with the United States and the German embassy reoccupied its former chancery.
  In the spring of 1938 the German government approved plans for construction of a new chancery. Construction, however, was ultimately sidetracked by the war in Europe.
caption: The Massachusetts Avenue chancery of the German embassy pictured in the early 20th century.
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