Frederic Courtland Penfield

It is as Ambassador at Vienna during the Great War, up to the time of our entry into it, that Frederic Courtland Penfield will probably be remembered. The position was in some ways difficult—less so than that of our Ambassador at Berlin, because Penfield had to deal with Austria and not Germany, with all that the difference implies, but still exacting enough when our Embassy had to care for the interests of France and England at a time of growing American hostility to the cause of the Central Powers Penfield succeeded in winning the good will of the Austrians, even while standing inflexibily for the rights that were entrusted to him.

His wife gave time and money to the work for the wounded Austrian soldiers; the Ambassador himself established such mutual good relations with the Austrian government and people, that in 1917 his departure was accompanied by their exhibition of outspoken friendliness and regret. Perhaps this very marked contrast to the surly ill will with which the Germans hustled Gerard over the frontier was a symbol of the likable traits of Viennese character; the traits which today make us anxious to help out Austria, even when we cannot shake off the feeling that Germany has got what she deserved. But the Ambassador’s personality had at least something to do with it.

Alexander Dana Noyes
1923 Century Association Yearbook