William H. Luers, Diplomat Who Backed Czech Dissident Chief, Dies at 95

Mr. Luers doubled the museum’s endowment, modernized its monetary techniques, enlarged its employees to 1,800 full-time staff, secured the $1 billion Walter Annenberg assortment of French Impressionist and Publish-Impressionist work for the museum, and oversaw the development of latest galleries, wings, exhibitions and public packages. When he stepped down, the museum had a $116 million funds, and crowds that usually exceeded 50,000 guests on weekends.

In 1990, Mr. Luers organized for Mr. Havel, who was conferring with President George W. Bush on a state go to to the White Home, to make a aspect journey to New York to go to the museum. It was a touching reunion for Mr. Luers, who returned many instances to the Czech Republic for conferences with outdated buddies and Mr. Havel, who died in 2011.

After the Met, Mr. Luers was chairman and president of the United Nations Affiliation of the united statesA., which gives analysis and different providers for the U.N. For a few years, he additionally directed the Iran Venture, a nongovernmental group that supported United States negotiations with Iran.

Mr. Luers, who had properties in Manhattan and Washington Depot, wrote scores of articles for international coverage journals and newspapers, together with The Instances. He lectured broadly and taught at Princeton, George Washington, Columbia and Seton Corridor Universities, and on the College of Superior Worldwide Research at Johns Hopkins College. Final fall, he launched a memoir, “Unusual Firm: Dissidents and Diplomats, Enemies and Artists.”

“My best satisfaction was the success of Vaclav Havel,” he stated within the 2022 interview. “Havel proved my level that tradition makes a distinction, particularly in worldwide relations. The Communist system was deeply flawed. It underestimated cultural leaders’ affect on the individuals.”

Alex Traub contributed reporting.