Henry H. Arnhold (1921-2018) was a prominent banker, philanthropist, and art collector in New York City, where he lived from 1942 until his death. He was born in 1921 in Dresden, Germany to a prominent Jewish family. He fled Germany after World War II broke out, going first to Sweden, then to Cuba, and finally to the United States where he rejoined the rest of his family who had already emigrated. After a brief period studying at the University of California, Los Angeles and serving three years in the United States Army, he entered the family banking business Arnhold & S. Bleichroeder and served as chairman, starting in 1960. Some of the positions Arnhold held throughout his career include director at First Eagle Investment Management LLC, president at the Arnhold and Mulago Foundations and director and member of the Executive Committee of Conservation International. A prominent art collector, Arnhold collected lithographs and pottery, among a wide variety of other media.

During his New School service, Arnhold donated funds, art, and his time. Arnhold was a charter member of the New School Associates from 1944 until his death and a member of the Board of Trustees, where he served on the Executive Committee, among others. In addition to his role on the board, Arnhold played a pivotal role in the development of the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at the university, which created a space for the academic study of migration and institutional participation in public policy and debate. He also provided the endowment for the Arnhold Forum, a two story library and study center in the New School University Center, in 2003. Another notable donation in 1987 was a collection of lithographs that included works by artists Leonor Fini, Richard Lindner, and Marino Marini. Arnhold received the New School’s Distinguished Service Award in 1994. Henry Arnhold died in 2018 in New York City.

Sources: “Henry H. Arnhold 1921-2018.” IIASA, August 27, 2018. https://previous.iiasa.ac.at/web/home/about/alumni/InMemoriam/27082018-arnhold.html.

“Henry H. Arnhold.” Henry H. Arnhold - Dresden Summer School. Accessed January 25, 2022. https://dresdensummerschool.de/en/henry-h-arnhold/.