A guide to the Ambassador Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Papers, 2000–2010
Call Number Mss1 T1918 a FA2

Processed by: Laura E. G. Stoner with funding from Ambassador Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman, September 2012.
c 2012 By Virginia Historical Society. All rights reserved

• Administrative Information
• Descriptive Summary
• Scope and Content Information
• Organization
• Biographical Historical Information
• Index Terms
• Contents

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Access
Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions
There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation
Ambassador Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman Papers, 2000–2010 (Mss1 T1918 a FA2), Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information
Gift of Ambassador and Mrs. Nicholas F. Taubman, of Roanoke, Va., in 2011 (2011.0162). Accessioned October 31, 2012.

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Virginia Historical Society.

Collection number: Mss1 T1918 a FA2

Title: Ambassador Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman papers, 2000–2010

Size: 400(ca.) items.

Language: English

Abstract: Include scrapbooks, audio-visual and miscellaneous materials documenting Ambassador Nicholas and Eugenia Taubman's time in Romania.

Scope and Content Information

Collection includes seven scrapbooks, 2005-2008, reflecting diplomatic and social events during Ambassador Taubman's term of service; photographs and video footage of the Taubmans attending and hosting events while in Romania; and miscellany.

Organization

The collection is divided into three series as follows: Series 1. Scrapbooks; Series 2. Audio-Visual materials; and Series 3. Miscellany.

Biographical/Historical Information

Nicholas Taubman was born in 1935 in Roanoke, Va. He graduated from the Wharton School of Finance and Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics. He served in the military from 1957-1958 and 1960-1961. He previously held the positions of chairman of the board, CEO, and president of Advance Auto Parts which was founded by his father and is headquartered in Roanoke, Va. He serves as the president of Mozart Investments. Mr. Taubman is an influential supporter of the Republican party. He received an appointment in 2005 from President George W. Bush to serve as Ambassador to Romania until 2008.

Eugenia L. Taubman was born in Bulgaria in 1939 and educated in Israel and Europe, Mrs. Taubman has worked as a soldier in the Israeli army, model, interpreter and image consultant.

Index Terms

Ambassadors -- United States -- History -- 21st century.
Diplomatic and consular service, American -- Romania -- History -- 21st century.
Romania -- Description and travel -- 21st century.
Romania -- Foreign relations -- United States -- History -- 21st century. Scrapbooks.
Taubman, Nicholas F., 1935-
Taubman, Eugenia L., 1939-
United States. Dept. of State -- Officials and employees -- History -- 21st century.
United States -- Foreign relations -- Romania -- History -- 21st century.

Contents List

Series 1. Scrapbooks, 2005-–2009. 7 volumes.

Scrapbook one, 2005-2006, contains a large number of letters offering congratulations to the Ambassador on his appointment. Notable correspondents include Senator George Allen, Governor Gerald Baliles, and Congressman Bob Goodlatte along with many friends and business associates from the Roanoke, Va., area. It also features photographs and programs from the Ambassador's swearing in ceremony performed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington, D.C., and presenting his diplomatic credentials to Romanian President Traian Băsescu. The scrapbook also features images of Secretary Rice's visit to Romania in December of 2005. Lastly, the scrapbook features a presidential George W. Bush family Christmas card.

Scrapbook two, 2005-2006, features articles about a car accident involving a U.S. Marine embassy security guard which resulted in the death of Romanian musician Teofil Peter. Also included are invitations for events from other Romanian ambassadors including those from Israel, Sweden, Russia, England, Canada and Germany; letters from Karl Rove thanking Taubman for his holiday card; a letter from Governor Bob Riley of Alabama regarding a delegation from his state visiting Romania; a handwritten note from the royal family of Romania (signed by King Michael, Queen Anne, Princess Margarita and Prince Radu); and documentation of a party held at the embassy for breast cancer awareness.

Scrapbook three, 2006-2007, mainly documents the embassy's Fourth of July celebration in 2006; a letter from President George Bush complimenting Taubman on a good job; photographs of Taubman with Vice President Dick Cheney at a conference in Lithuania; documentation of the Art in Embassies exhibit; and photographs of the Marine Corps Ball in Bucharest in 2006. The scrapbook also includes a letter from John D. Negroponte, Director of U.S. National Intelligence, regarding his visit to Bucharest; photographs of a visit by FBI director Robert S. Mueller, III; images and invitations from the NATO Balkans Chiefs of Mission conference in Naples, Italy; photographs of Christmas celebrations at the embassy in 2006; a letter from then U.S. Senator George Allen; Christmas cards; and an exhibit publication and CD for "After September 11: Images from Ground Zero." The scrapbook contains two other CDs relating to the "Art in Embassies" Exhibition, 2006 October and the 2006 Leadership Conference, Thermon Knighten, Ring of Excellence Introduction, Advance Auto Parts, a video of an event honoring Mr. Knighten, an Advance Auto Parts employee.

Scrapbook four, 2006-2007, features letters from James P. Cain, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark; Senator George Allen; and Bill Gates. Included are two photographs of Taubman and President George W. Bush in the Oval Office, with one of the images signed by the president. Also included is documentation of a trip to Israel to see an exhibit of the Romanian artist Reuven Rubin and a visit to the Romanian Cyber Crimes Unit. The scrapbook additionally contains copies of photographs of Romanians at the turn of the 20th century digitally restored with a grant from the United States Agency for International Development, and clippings of negative and positive Romanian press on Taubman's diplomacy.

Scrapbook five, 2007-2008, holds a photograph of President George Bush and Taubman and note; information about the commissioned Nelson Shanks portraits of King Michael I and Queen Anne; a Karl Rove letter from 2007 August 31 upon his departure from the Bush White House Administration; letters from U.S. Ambassadors Victoria Nuland (NATO), Susan McCaw (Austria), and Denise M. Vallee wife of Rodolphe Vallee (of Slovakia); and a letter from Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte. Also included is a letter from Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai-Răzvan Ungureanu; documentation and photographs from the 232nd Marine Corps birthday ball in Bucharest; a note from Romanian prime minister Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu; the Taubman's Christmas Card featuring them in traditional Romanian dress along with Christmas cards from other ambassadors, the White House and Princess Margarita of Romania; a photograph of Taubman with Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England; a copy of the dynastic statute for the royal family of Romania entitled "Fundamental Rules of the Royal Family of Romania"; the 1st Embassy newsletter of 2008, and an Embassy art exhibit catalog from 2008.

Scrapbook six, 2008 contains letters from other ambassadors of Romania leaving their posts and announcing their succesors. Also documented is the NATO summit held in Bucharest April 2-3, 2008; including photographs, correspondence regarding President George W. Bush's attendance, a schedule of events, a handwritten thank you note from Bush, and a typed thank you from Laura Bush. Also included are an invitation and photographs of the unveiling ceremony for the portrait of King Michael I and Queen Anne; a handwritten thank you note from former Secretary of State Madeline Albright regarding her trip to Romania to raise awarness of cervical cancer; the invitation to the Taubman's July 4th party along with photographs from the event, an a letter from Congressman Joe Wilson and a photograph with him.

Scrapbook seven, 2005-2009, includes documentation of Eugenia L. Taubman's involvement with "Restore the Beauty" at the Romanian National Art Museum; a letter from King Michael I saying goodbye to the Taubmans along with many other letters and invitations to dinners in their honor held by ambassadors of other countries in Romania. Ambassador Taubman also received the Order of the Star of Romania late in 2008. The scrapbook shows the Taubmans celebrating staff birthdays as well as their own in the embassy. At this point the scrapbook moves from chronological and goes back to 2005 and includes letters from Condoleezza Rice and President George W. Bush regarding Taubman's appointment as ambassador and chief of mission; a biography of Ambassador and Mrs. Taubman and daughter Lara; information about the "Art in Embassies" exhibit; speeches; certificates for Taubman's flight in Air Force One; and a letter from George W. Bush at the end of Taubman's ambassadorship.

Series 2. Audio-Visual Materials, 2005–2008. 32 items.

The collection includes 32 CD-Rs and DVDs (including those removed from the scrapbooks) of photographs and video footage of the Taubmans attending and hosting events while in Romania, along with images of art exhibits held at the embassy; and an audio cassette tape of Ambassador Taubman's swearing in ceremony with Secretary Condoleezza Rice. Materials are arranged by type and then in chronological order.

Series 3. Miscellaneous Materials, 2005–2010.

Notable miscellaneous items include images of Taubman's confirmation hearings; photographs from Secretary Rice's visit to Romania in 2005 (duplicates photographs in scrapbook); photographs documenting the Ambassador Taubman's trip to Regia Autonomă Judeteană de Apă Constanta for a meeting, wine tasting, and meal in 2005; a briefing binder for the Ambassador's visit to Timişoara to provide U.S. assistance for Uzbek refuges in 2006, along with photographs of the visit; photographs of the Embassy Christmas party in 2006 (duplicates photographs in Scrapbook Three); a print out of Taubman's daily schedule from 2006 December-2008 December; photographs documenting the Black Sea Defense and Aerospace Trade Show, 2007 April 24-35; photographs of an Award ceremony presided over by Ambassador Taubman, 2007; a picture of Ambassador Taubman featured in The Diplomat, Bucharest, 2008 March; NATO Summit Bucharest, Romania, Protocol and Schedule Binder, 2008 April 2-4; information about Romanian Jewish history and the NATO Summit, 2008; images of the portraits commissioned by the Taubman's for King Michael I and Queen Anne of Romania, 2008; the book Heartfelt Diplomacy in Romania (2010) from author Eldar Hasanov the ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Romania; miscellaneous photographs, including some from the Bush administration, 2000-2008 (some of which duplicate those found in the scrapbooks). Also included are photocopies made by the archivist of the photographs in the scrapbooks, due to the delicate assembly of the photographs to help maintain original order.

Oversized

Oversized items consist chiefly of items removed from the scrapbooks. Notable items include: a U.S. Department of State Alumni Database print out from the Bush Administration, 2001-2009; Taubman's credentials to serve as the United States representative in Romania; the Mr and Mrs. Taubman's awards from The Roanoker magazine; and Ambassador Taubman's remarks after presenting his credentials to Romanian President Traian Băsescu.