About George Weidenfeld, Baron Weidenfeld
George Weidenfeld, Baron Weidenfeld (13 September 1919 – 20 January 2016) was a British publisher, philanthropist, and newspaper columnist. He was also a lifelong Zionist and renowned networker. He was on good terms with prime ministers and presidents and put his connections to good use for diplomatic and philanthropic ends. == Early life == Weidenfeld was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1919. He was born to an Austrian-Jewish family, the only son of Max and Rosa Weidenfeld. Weidenfeld attended the University of Vienna and the city's Diplomatic College. Following the Anschluss (Germany's annexation of Austria) in 1938, he emigrated to London, with limited English and a 16/6d postal order (approximately £35 in 2026). He began work with the monitoring service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). == Career == By 1942, he was a political commentator for the BBC and also wrote a weekly newspaper column, coming into contact with General de Gaulle and Tito as a result. In 1949, Weidenfeld served for a year as the political adviser and Chief of Cabinet to Chaim Weizmann, the first President of Israel.
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