Joachim von Ribbentrop
Ulrich Friedrich-Wilhelm Joachim von Ribbentrop was born on the 30th of April 1893 in Wesel, Rhine Province. His father Richard Ulrich Friedrich Joachim Ribbentrop served as a career army officer while his mother Johanne Sophie Hertwig managed their household. The family did not originally carry the nobiliary particle "von" until 1925 when an aunt named Gertrud von Ribbentrop adopted him. This legal change allowed young Joachim to add the title to his name and elevate his social standing.
From 1904 to 1908 he attended French courses at Lycée Fabert in Metz. A former teacher later recalled that Ribbentrop was the most stupid student in his class yet also full of vanity and very pushy. After his father lost his military commission in 1908 for disparaging Kaiser Wilhelm II the family moved to Arosa Switzerland for eighteen months. There children received private instruction from French and English tutors while Joachim spent free time skiing and mountaineering.
He traveled to Canada in 1910 working first for Molsons Bank on Stanley Street in Montreal. Later he joined engineering firm M. P. and J. T. Davis during the Quebec Bridge reconstruction project. He also worked for the National Transcontinental Railway which built a line from Moncton to Winnipeg. During this period he lived in Grenoble France and London before returning to Germany to recover from tuberculosis.
In 1914 he competed for Ottawa's Minto ice-skating team and participated in the Ellis Memorial Trophy tournament held in Boston in February. When World War I began later that year he left Canada since it belonged to the British Empire and was now at war with Germany. On the 15th of August 1914 he sailed from Hoboken New Jersey aboard the Holland-America ship Potsdam bound for Rotterdam. Upon reaching Germany he enlisted in the Prussian 12th Hussar Regiment.
Ribbentrop served on both the Eastern Front and Western Front earning an Iron Cross after being wounded. By 1918 Lieutenant Ribbentrop stationed himself as a staff officer in Istanbul where he befriended another staff officer named Franz von Papen. In 1919 he met Anna Elisabeth Henkell daughter of a wealthy Wiesbaden wine producer. They married on the 5th of July 1920 and went on to have five children together.
Hitler first noticed Ribbentrop as a well-traveled businessman who knew more about the outside world than most senior Nazis. He offered his house Schloss Fuschl for secret meetings in January 1933 that resulted in Hitler's appointment as Chancellor of Germany. This gesture made him a close confidant despite dismay among some party members who thought him unintelligent superficial and lacking talent.
In 1928 Ribbentrop was introduced to Adolf Hitler by Wolf-Heinrich Graf von Helldorff whom he had served with in the 12th Torgau Hussars during World War I. The introduction highlighted how Ribbentrop got the same price for German champagne as others received for French champagne. Both he and his wife joined the Nazi Party on the 1st of May 1932.
Ribbentrop began his political career by offering to be a secret emissary between Chancellor Franz von Papen and Hitler. His offer was initially refused but six months later Hitler and Papen accepted his help after General Kurt von Schleicher ousted Papen in December 1932. On the 22nd of January 1933 State Secretary Otto Meissner and Hindenburg's son Oskar met Hitler Hermann Göring and Wilhelm Frick at Ribbentrop's home in Berlin's exclusive Dahlem district.
During dinner Papen made the fateful concession that if Schleicher's government fell he would use his influence with President Hindenburg to ensure Hitler became Chancellor. Ribbentrop was not popular with the Nazi Party's Alte Kämpfer or Old Fighters who nearly all disliked him. British historian Laurence Rees described Ribbentrop as "the Nazi almost all the other leading Nazis hated" while Joseph Goebbels confided in his diary that Von Ribbentrop bought his name married his money and swindled his way into office.
In August 1934 Ribbentrop founded an organization linked to the Nazi Party called Büro Ribbentrop which later renamed itself Dienststelle Ribbentrop. It functioned as an alternative foreign ministry with offices directly across from the Foreign Office building on Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin. The Dienststelle included members such as Hitlerjugend alumni dissatisfied businessmen former reporters and ambitious Nazi Party members all trying to conduct foreign policy independent of traditional channels.
Hitler rewarded Ribbentrop by appointing him Reich Minister Ambassador-Plenipotentiary at Large. In this capacity Ribbentrop negotiated the Anglo-German Naval Agreement signed in London on the 18th of June 1935 alongside Sir Samuel Hoare. Hitler called the day the agreement was signed "the happiest day in my life" believing it marked the beginning of an Anglo-German alliance.
Hitler appointed Ribbentrop ambassador to the United Kingdom in August 1936 with orders to negotiate an Anglo-German alliance. He arrived to take up his position in October 1936 formally presenting credentials to King Edward VIII on the 30th of October. His time in London became marked by endless social gaffes that worsened relations with the British Foreign Office.
Invited to stay as a house guest of the 7th Marquess of Londonderry at Wynyard Hall in County Durham he attended a service in Durham Cathedral in November 1936. When the organ played opening bars identical to the German national anthem Ribbentrop gave the Nazi salute and had to be restrained by his host. At his wife's suggestion he hired Berlin interior decorator Martin Luther to help design the new German embassy which Ribbentrop felt was insufficiently grand.
Ribbentrop did not understand the limited role exercised by 20th-century British monarchs yet thought Edward VIII could dictate foreign policy if desired. During the abdication crisis in December 1936 he reported to Berlin that civil war would soon break out between supporters of Edward and Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. These predictions were greeted with incredulity by British people who heard them.
Duke Carl Alexander of Württemberg told the Federal Bureau of Investigation that Wallis Simpson Edward's lover had slept with Ribbentrop in London while remaining in constant contact leaking secrets. Ribbentrop habitually summoned tailors from best British firms making them wait hours only sending them away without seeing him but instructing return next day. This behavior damaged his reputation as London tailors retaliated telling well-off clients he was impossible to deal with.
In February 1937 Ribbentrop committed a notable social gaffe by unexpectedly greeting George VI with the stiff-armed Nazi greeting nearly knocking over the King walking forward to shake hands. He further compounded damage by insisting all German diplomats henceforth greet heads of state using the fascist salute. The crisis resolved when Neurath pointed out Hitler would be obliged to return Communist clenched-fist salutes under such rules.
Ribbentrop played a key role concluding a Soviet-German non-aggression pact known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939 alongside diplomatic actions surrounding attack on Poland. In public he expressed great fury at Polish refusal allowing Danzig's return or granting permission for extra-territorial highways yet privately refused any talks between German and Polish diplomats about those matters.
He feared if German-Polish talks occurred Poles might back down agreeing to demands like Czechoslovaks had done in 1938 depriving Germans excuse for aggression. To block further diplomacy Ribbentrop recalled Ambassador Count Hans-Adolf von Moltke from Poland refusing to see Polish ambassador Józef Lipski. On the 25th of May 1939 he sent secret message to Moscow telling Soviet Foreign Commissar Vyacheslav Molotov that attacking Poland meant Russia's special interests would be taken into consideration.
Throughout 1939 Hitler always privately referred to Britain as main opponent portraying destruction of Poland as necessary prelude to war with Britain. Ribbentrop informed Hitler any war with Poland would last only twenty-four hours while British stunned by display of power would not honor commitments. He told Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano on the 5th of May 1939 certain that within months no Frenchman nor Englishman would go to war for Poland.
Ribbentrop supported analysis showing Hitler only diplomatic dispatches supporting view neither Britain nor France honored commitments to Poland. German embassy in London provided translations from pro-appeasement newspapers such as Daily Mail and Daily Express making it seem public opinion more strongly against going to war than actuality. This manipulation helped convince Hitler Britain would back down over Poland.
In late 1941 due to American aid to Britain and increasingly frequent incidents in North Atlantic between U-boats and American warships guarding convoys Ribbentrop worked for failure of Japanese-American talks in Washington. He pushed Japan to attack United States doing utmost support declaration of war after Pearl Harbor attack.
From 1941 onwards Ribbentrop's influence declined significantly despite his role expanding war through alliances with Japan and Italy. He misjudged American entry into conflict believing Germany could win quickly without facing full might of United States industrial machine. His strategic failures included failing to anticipate long-term consequences of declaring war on America while simultaneously fighting Soviet Union.
Ribbentrop frequently met leaders diplomats from Italy Japan Romania Spain Bulgaria Hungary during three distinct periods spanning 1938 to 1945. In first period he tried persuading states aligning themselves with Germany for coming war. Second period involved attempting convincing other states enter war on Germany side maintaining pro-German neutrality. Final phase required keeping allies from leaving her side as situation deteriorated globally.
During course all three periods Ribbentrop feuded various Nazi leaders including Hermann Göring who warned Hitler Ribbentrop was stupid ass. Hitler dismissed concerns stating Ribbentrop knew quite lot important people England though Göring replied bad thing they know him. This internal conflict weakened German diplomatic effectiveness further complicating already dire military situation.
Arrested in June 1945 Ribbentrop convicted sentenced death at Nuremberg trials for role starting World War II Europe enabling Holocaust. On the 16th of October 1946 became first Nuremberg defendants executed by hanging marking end of his life and career.
His conviction stemmed directly from actions taken as Minister Foreign Affairs serving Nazi Germany from 1938 until 1945. Evidence presented included documents showing direct involvement planning aggressive wars against multiple nations including Poland Czechoslovakia Soviet Union while facilitating policies leading mass murder Jews Roma disabled individuals.
Ribbentrop's defense attempts failed completely as prosecutors demonstrated clear chain of command linking him directly to decisions made highest levels government. He argued ignorance claims regarding atrocities committed but evidence showed active participation signing orders authorizing deportations executions confiscation property.
Final moments came quickly after sentence pronounced with execution carried out same day following appeals process exhaustion. His death marked closure chapter involving one most controversial figures Third Reich era leaving legacy defined destruction caused through diplomatic maneuvers rather than battlefield commands alone.
Up Next
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When and where was Joachim von Ribbentrop born?
Joachim von Ribbentrop was born on the 30th of April 1893 in Wesel, Rhine Province. His father Richard Ulrich Friedrich Joachim Ribbentrop served as a career army officer while his mother Johanne Sophie Hertwig managed their household.
How did Joachim von Ribbentrop get the nobiliary particle von in his name?
The family did not originally carry the nobiliary particle von until 1925 when an aunt named Gertrud von Ribbentrop adopted him. This legal change allowed young Joachim to add the title to his name and elevate his social standing.
What role did Joachim von Ribbentrop play in starting World War II?
Joachim von Ribbentrop played a key role concluding a Soviet-German non-aggression pact known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact in 1939 alongside diplomatic actions surrounding attack on Poland. He also worked for failure of Japanese-American talks in Washington and pushed Japan to attack United States doing utmost support declaration of war after Pearl Harbor attack.
When was Joachim von Ribbentrop executed at Nuremberg trials?
On the 16th of October 1946 became first Nuremberg defendants executed by hanging marking end of his life and career. His conviction stemmed directly from actions taken as Minister Foreign Affairs serving Nazi Germany from 1938 until 1945.
Why did Joachim von Ribbentrop fail to prevent war with Britain according to historical records?
Ribbentrop informed Hitler any war with Poland would last only twenty-four hours while British stunned by display of power would not honor commitments. He told Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano on the 5th of May 1939 certain that within months no Frenchman nor Englishman would go to war for Poland.