Figure 1.--Hitler seems to have approved of Ribbentrop's peformance as ambassador to Britain and as he laid plans for War he did not want disractive arguments from professional diplomats. He thus appointed ardent NAZI Ribbebtrop his Foreign Minister (1938). Hitler a keen judge of character and got what he wanted, a foreign minister who would carry out orders and not argue wuth him. Thus Ribbentrop was Foreign Minister for the enire World War II era. He played a central role in war time diplomacy, including negotiating the Pact of Steel with Italy (1939), the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact (1939), and Japan adherence to the Axis (1940). Once launching the War, Hitler had little interest in or need for diplomacy and thus Ribentrop was less useful. Ribentrop and the Foreign Ministry was also deeply involved in NAZI aggressions, the Holocaust, and other NAZI crimes. This is his wife and two of the children that was allowed to visit him during the IMT war crimes trials in Nuremberg (1946). The press caption here read, "Ribbentrop's Family Visits Him in Jail: Fru Joachim von Ribbentrop, accompanied by her three children enter Nuremberg Prison to visit , Hitler's foreign minister, who is one of the war crumes trial defendants." The photogrph is dated September 25, we think 1946. Three weeks later he was hanged, the first of the top NAZIs to be executed. These are his younger children. His oldest son Ruldolf served in the Waffen-SS, wounded several times and highly deciorated. .

Joachim von Ribbentrop was the son of a demanding, whip lashing Prussian artillery officer who expected his unexceptional son to excel. He became a mildly successful businessman. Friends introduced him to Hitler as a businessman with foreign connections who 'gets the same price for German champagne as others get for French champagne' (1928). Ribbentrop was a well-travelled businessman with some knowledge of foreign countries, at least more than most senior NAZIs. He and his wife joined the Party (1932). He presented himself as an authority on world affairs. Ribbentrop offered his home for the secret meetings that resulted in Hitler's appointment as Chancellor (1933). He became a close confidant of the Führer, largely because he accepted Hitler's view rather than offering any insightful advise. He was not popular with other top NAZIS who saw him as superficial and lacking any real competence. Hitler, however, liked him which is what was important. Hitler appointed him to the key diplomatic post--Ambassador to the Court of St James's meaning Britain (1936). Ribbentrop was an umittigated disaster, totaly failing to understand British society. In fairness, even a competent diplomat, given Hitler's policies, could not have suceeded in London. But Ribbentrop was not compent. His only real qualification was that he was a loyal NAZI. He gave the NAZI salute to King George V at a royal receotion. He was lampooned by the Bitish press. For his part he developed an intense dislike for the Btitish. Hitler seems to have approved of his performance in Britain and appointed him Fireign Minister (1938), replacing seasoned diplomat, but not ardent NAZI Konstantin von Neurath. As in many other instances, that was what was important to Hitler. Ribbentrop as foreign minister played key roles in negotiating the Pact of Steel with Italy (1939), the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact (1939), and Japan's adherence to the Axis (1940).

Family

Joachim von Ribbentrop was born in Wesel, Rhenish Prussia (1893). Joaquim's farther was Richard Ulrich Friedrich Joachim Ribbentrop, a demanding, whip-lashing career Prussian artillery officer. His mother was Johanne Sophie Hertwig. His father was cashiered from the German Imperial Army (1908). He apparently was contemptuous of Kaiser Wilhelm II, calling him a homosexual.

Childhood

Joaquim was born in Wesel (1893). He traveled as a child, living or going to school in Switzerland, France, and England. He thus learned foreign languages and picked up some social polish--something few top NAZIs had. We have no information on clothing yet. The family lived in to Arosa, Switzerland for a time. Ribbentrop who was a teenager at the time enjoyed skiing and mountaineering. Joaquim was sent to Britain for a year to master his commnd of the English language.

Education

Joaquim's father expected his son to excel, the problen was that the boy was not only not particularly exceptional, but actually rather dull. One of his teachers later described him as 'the most stupid in his class, full of vanity and very pushy'. [Weitz, p. 6.] Joaquim and his siblings were often taught by English and French tutors. He appears to have attended a secondary school in Metz where he learned French (1904-08). Metz was a French city seized by the Prussians in the Franco-Prussian war. It was turned into the German Empire's most powerful fortress. He attended an English-speaking boarding school in Switerland. The school had quite a number of British students. The experience, however, led to no understaning of the British people which could be observed in his subsequent diplomatic career. Attendance at these foreign private schools should not be interpreted as providing him a superior eduction as might have been the case in America and Britain. Germany before the NAZIs had probably the finest education system in the world with very high academic standards. Thus well-to-do families did not turn to private schools. In fact, it was common for affluent families to send their academically weaker boys to private schools. This appears to nave been the case with Joaquim.

Early Career

He began working as a young man for a German importing company. His ability with foreign languages was a useful skill and he was assigned to the company's London office (1911). He then went to Canada where he worked as a timekeeper first with the reconstruction of the Quebec Bridge project and then the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Next he worked as a reporter in New York City and Boston.

World War I

Germany invaded Belgium and France launching World War I (August 1914). Ribbentrop returned to Germany and enlisted in the Army. He served as an officer in the 125th Hussar Regiment on the Eastern Front and won the Iron Cross. He was seriously wounded (1917). After recovering he worked at the War Ministry. He was a member of the German delegation at the Paris Peace Conference (1919).

Businessman: Weimar Republic

After demobilized by the Army, Ribbentrop was employed as salesman for Pommerey, a French company in the Rhineland. He was essentially a champagne salesman. He later was accepted as a partner in a Berlin sales agency. He achieved some success as a businessman, but failed in a breief attemp to enter the American market.

Family

Ribbentrop after World War I met Anna Elisabeth Henkell, called 'Annelies' within the family (1919). Money and social staus were the attractions. She was the daughter of a wealthy Wiesbaden wine-producer. They married (1920). Ribbentrop entered the family business. He travelled widely throughout Europe as a wine salesman. Unlike most top NAZIs, Ribbentrop was faithful to his wife, at least until after the War when he went into hiding. His aunt, Gertrud von Ribbentrop, adopted him (1925). This allowed him to add the nobility particle von to his name. Interestingly, Annelies seems to have been the dominant partner, rare among the macho oriented NAZIs. Hitler obsrved that Annelies was the one that 'wore the trousers' within the family. The Ribbentrops had five children together. The eldest son was Rudolf von Ribbentrop (1921- ). The younger Ribbentrop attended the prestigious Westminster School in London while his father served as Ambassador to Britain. Rudolf was not popular with the other boys and made no close friendships. It apparently ran in the family. Ribbentrop himself was not popular with the other NAZI laeaders. One schoolmate describes Rudolf as 'doltish, surly and arrogant'. [Urquhart] He would arrive each morning 'in one of two plum-coloured Mercedes-Benz limousines. On arrival in Dean's Yard, both chauffeurs would spring out, give the Nazi salute and shout 'Heil Hitler!'" You can imagine how that was received among the other boys. No one, however, can question Rudolf's bravery. He went on to serve with great destinction in the Waffen-SS, involved in many of the major campaigns on both the Eastern and Western fronts. He was wounded five times and heavily decorated. We have little information on the other children, but they all survived the War. After the War Annelies was arrested as the family had become fabulously wealthy. There were lengthy litigation as the Allies tried to strip her of her wealth. She wrote books defending her husband's role in the War.

Joining the Party

Ribbentrop was not an early convert to the NAZIs. He seems to have had little interest in politics. He joined the Party only after it had become the largest political party in the country and Annelies pressured him to join. He and his wife joined (May 1932). Despite his late conversion, he appears to have caught Hitler's eye. Friends introduced him to Hitler as a businessman with foreign connections who 'gets the same price for German champagne as others get for French champagne' (1928). Ribbentrop was a well-travelled businessman with some knowledge of foreign countries, at least more than most senior NAZIs. He was more polished than the NAZI higher-ups. His experiences in Britain and America were no doubt important. He presented himself as an authority on world affairs. In addition, Hitler did not trust the professiinal diplomats in the Foreign Office.

NAZI Activities

Ribbentrop only joined the NAZI Party after it had becone a major force (1932). And he immediately was in the thick of German politucs at the higest level. He offered his home for the secret meetings that resulted in Hitler's appointment as Chancellor (1933). He became a close confidant of the Führer, largely because he accepted Hitler's view and listened untently to his long diatribes. It was not because Ribentrop offered any insightful advise. Hitler made him his foreign affairs adviser (1933). The following year he was put in charge of the Ribbentrop Bureau (1934). The Bureau eventually had 300 staffers. He was not popular with other top NAZIs, especially the Alte Kämpfer (Old Fighters). [Watt, p. 329.] He was widely seen as superficial and lacking any real competence. His not joining the Partybuntil 1932 was another matter. There were bitter rivlries among the top NAZIs, but one historian comments that Ribbentrop was 'the Nazi almost all the other leading Nazis hated.' [Rees, p. 243.] Goebbels wrote in his diary that "Von Ribbentrop bought his name, he married his money and he swindled his way into office". [Snyder, p. 295.] Hitler, however, liked him which is what was important. Hitler appointed him to the key diplomatic post--Ambassador to the Court of St James's meaning Britain (1936). Hitler believed that Britain could be convinced to accept German aspirations and participate in an anti-Bolshevick crusade. He believed that Ribbentrop with his British experiences and contacts might be useful in bringing this about. Ribbentrop's foreign experiences did little good when Hitler appointed him the NAZI ambassador to Britain (August 1936). Ribbentrop was an unmitigated dissaster. He had no feeling for British sensibilities and was seen as highly offensive. At the very beginning, he gave the NAZI salute to the King George VI when presenting his credentials (February 1937). Further actions followed showing a lack of diplomatic tact. Ribbentrop ordered Schutz Staffeinel (SS) guards in front of the German Embassy. He also insisted on swastika flags being placed on official cars. In fairness, even a competent diplomat, given Hitler's policies, could not have suceeded in London. But Ribbentrop was not compent. His only real qualification was that he was a loyal NAZI. He gave the NAZI salute to King George V at a royal reception. He was lampooned by the Bitish press. For his part he developed an intense dislike for the British. Hitler seems to have approved of his performance in Britain and appointed him Foreign Minister (1938), replacing seasoned diplomat, but not ardent NAZI Konstantin von Neurath. Ribbentrop was reportedly rather dim, but did Hitler's bidding. That was what Hitler wanted. He did not want advise or diagreements, he wanted a diplomat who followed instructions. As in many other instances, that was what was important to Hitler. Ribbentrop as foreign minister played key roles in negotiating the Pact of Steel with Italy (1939), the NAZI-Soviet Non-Agression Pact (1939), and Japan adherence to the Axis (1940).

World War II

Ribbentrop's greatest contribution to the NAZI war effort was negitiating the NAZI-Soviet Pact (August 1939) which allowed Hitler and Stalin to launch World War II by invading Poland. Inronically, once the War began, Ribbentrop lost influence. Hitler no longer needed diplomats. The future would be settled on the battlefield. His war time role is, however, interesting. Having spent time in America, he insisted that he was an expert on the United States and assured Hitler that America was not a serious military threat. He was right about 1939-41, but not by 1942-45. The speed of American reamrmament and the out put of the Arsensal of Democracy starteled not only the Gerrmans and Japanese, but the American military as well. How much weight Hitler have to these assessments we do not know. Hitler in Mein Kampf does not dimiss the United States. Ribbentrop argued against attacking the Soviet Union. He encouraged Japan to attack the United States. Hitler found Ribbentrop increasingly tiresome and avoided him, in part because he had been right about the Soviets. Hitler did not like people who had been right when he was wrong. It proved to be a career killer. And then Ribbentrop failed at the critical effort to get Japan to attack the Soviets from the East. All of his diplomatic work with Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union not only came to nothing, but actully played aole in the NAZI demise.

America

None of the NAZI luminaries knew anything about America. Interestingly, Hitler probably knew the most as he has served in the trenches accrioss from Amnerucan positions. The only one to visit America, except Hitler Youth leader Shirach was Ribbenstop. He came to America briefly in an unsuccessful attempt to sell champagne in New York. Based on this hevtouted himsel as an expert on the United States. Hitler picked Ribbentrop not as a foreign npolicy expert, but as someone who ouold exccute his preconceived ideas without any argumntation. But he seems to have listenerd to him when he pratteled on about America, perhaps because he liked what he heard. After Hitler declared war on Amerrica, much to the concerrn of many Italians. Of course the Italians knew a great vdeal about America. Many Italians had family or friends who had emigrated to America. Ribbentrop to ease their minds told a delegation of Italians, "I know them. I know their country. A country devoid of culture, devoid of music, above all a country without soldiers. A people who will never be able to decide the war from the air. When has a Jewified nation like that ever become a race of fighters and flying aces." [Roberts]

Holocaust

During the Weimar era, Ribbentrop dhowed little interest in politics besides being anti-Communist. He appears to have favired a restoratiin of the monarchy. He expressed no overt anti-Semitic biases prejudices. [Bloch, pp. 16, 20-21.] And he did business with Jewish busdinessmen and bankers. Several Berlin Jewish merchants who did business with Ribbentrop ndfore the NAZI seixzure of power and knew him well later expressed astonishment at the vicious anti-Semitism he displayed as a NAZI officisl. [Bloch, pp. 16, 20-21] Working in his father-in-law's champagne firm, Ribbentrop not only did business with Jewish bankers, but and organised the Impegroma Importing Company ("Import und Export großer Marken") with Jewish financing. Ribbentrop did not have a brilliant mind, but he quickly grasped the key to rising in the NAZI hierarchy, muvh like Heydrich. Take notes on what Hitler was saying, agree withbhum, abnd then exoress thise ideas as your own. He also noticed tht Hitler tended to favor the most radical sollution. And Ribbentrop quickly understood what Hitler wanted done with the Jews. Armed with these ideas Ribbentrop quickly became Hitller's faviorite diplomat. Ribbentrop played an important role in the Holocaust and was deeply involved in the killing pohase of the Holocaust. A relatively small number of Jews lived within the Reich. Most of the Jews to be killed lived in both countries allied to the NAZIs and countries occupied by the NAZIs. Arrangements had to be made for deporting these Jews to the death camps where they could be murdered way from prying eyes. And because they were outside the Reich, the Foreign Ministry's assistance was needed. Ribbentrop was personally involved in the ensuing diplomatic negotitions. The Foreign Office played a key role in arranging the deportations of Jews to the death camps from France (1942–44), Hungary (1944–45), Slovakia, Italy (after 1943), and the Balkans. Ribbentrop assigned all of these Holocaust-related matters to Martin Luther, often described as his hatchet man. Luther was of all things an interior decorator and an old associaste from the Dienststelle. Notably Ribbentrop chose Luther to represented the Foreign Ministry at the Wannsee Conference (January 1942). [Bloch, pp. 353–54.] Ambassador Otto Abetz secured the deportation of 25,000 French Jews (1942). Ambassador Hans Ludin secured the deportation of 50,000 Slovak Jews to the death camps. [Bloch, p. 356.] Ribbentrop rarely interferedv restrict the deportations and primarily because of jurisdictional disputes with the SS (August 1942). [Bloch, p. 356.] Ribbentrop halted deportations from Romania and Croatia. Apparently he was miffed because the SS were negotiating with the Romanians directly. And in Slovak matter, he did not like the SS and Luther pressuring the Italians in their zone of occupation to deport their Jews without first informing Ribbentrop. He insisted on beingconsulted on all developments in Italo-German relations. [Bloch, p. 356.] After a meeting with Hitler, who was displeased with any interferenve with the deportations, Ribbentrop ordered the deportations to be resumed immediately (September 1942). [Bloch, pp. 356-57.] Ribbentrop demanded that Hungary's Regent Miklós Horthys to deport their Jewish population to the death camps (Aopril 1943). He failed to bget this concession. Ribbentrop insisted that "the Jews must either be exterminated or taken to the concentration camps. There is no other possibility". [Browning, p. 1273.] Ribbentrop also attempted to protect a small number of Jews with neutral passports like Argentine and Turkish passprts. His interest of course was not for the Jews, but as the War turned against Germany, to retain relations with the dwindling number of countries noy joining the Allied alliance. Most of the Turkish Jews survived. The Argentine and other Latin American Jews did not because their goovernments had no interest in protecting Jews.

Nurrenberg IMT Trials

After the NAZI surrender, the Allies arrested Ribbentrop (June 1945). He was charged with war crimes, both for his role in launching the War and subsequent invovement in the Holocaust. Ribbentrop denied knowledge of NAZI genocide and attrocities. Ribbentrop who was not an anti-Semmite (based on his pre-NAZI behvior), participated in the Holocaust, applying pressure on German allies to deport their Jews to NAZI death camps. His role in arranging deportations from NAZI occupied areas shows that his claim to have had no knowledge of the Holocaust was a lie. As the chief NAZI iplomat he might have been expected to have offered a defens of Hitler and the NAZIs. He did not. His testimony was pathetic. His basic approach was that he knew nothing of he crimes. His fellow NAZIs who had never had much respect for him from the beginning, especially Göring, were contemptuous of Ribbentrop's performance on the stand. The Tribunal found him guilty at the Nuremberg War Crimes Trial. He was hanged (October 1946).

Sources

Bloch, Michael. Ribbentrop (New York: Crown Publishing, 1992).

Browning, Christopher (1990) "Ribbentrop, Joachim von," in The Encyclopedia of the Holocaust Vol. 3, Israel Gutman ed. (New York: Macmillan, 1990).

Rees, Laurence. The Nazis: A Warning from History (New York: New Press, 1997).

Roberts, Andrew. "Why Hitler lost the war: German strategic mistakes in Workd War II," (June 29, 2012).

Snyder, Louis. Encyclopedia of the Third Reich ( New York: McGraw-Hill, 1976.).

Urquhart, Brian. A Life in Peace and War (1987), Urquhart was a pupil at the Westminstr school while Rudolf von Ribbentrop was there. He later became a diplomat.

Watt, D. C. How War Came: The Immediate Origins of the Second World War, 1938–1939 (London: Heinemann, 1989.)

Weitz, John. Hitler's Diplomat: The Life And Times of Joachim von Ribbentrop (New York: Ticknor & Fields, 1992).

Created: December 29, 2002
Last updated: 4:01 AM 10/29/2021