Joachim Von Ribbentrop Nazi politician and diplomat, while serving as Foreign Minister from 1938-45, signed the 'Non-Aggression Pact' between Germany and the USSR Date of Birth: 30.04.1893 Country: Germany

1. Nazi politician and diplomat
2. Early life and career
3. Role in Nazi Germany
4. War crimes and conviction
5. "Ribbentrop Bureau"

Nazi politician and diplomat

Joachim von Ribbentrop was a Nazi politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1938 to 1945. He played a dark role in the destruction of Jews in the countries occupied by Germany.

Early life and career

Joachim von Ribbentrop was born on April 30, 1893, in Wesel, Germany. He grew up in a military family and received his education in Kassel and Metz. After completing his studies, Ribbentrop worked as a commercial representative for a small import-export company specializing in wine trade. This experience gave him broad knowledge and fluency in French and English, which was highly valued by Adolf Hitler.

At the start of World War I, Ribbentrop returned to Germany and volunteered for the Hussar Regiment. He fought on the Eastern Front, was wounded, and received the Iron Cross First Class. He rose to the rank of Oberleutnant. In 1915, Ribbentrop was sent to work for the German military mission in Turkey.

After the end of World War I, Ribbentrop engaged in commercial activities. His marriage to the daughter of Germany's largest champagne producer, Otto Henkel, opened up wide prospects for him. By 1925, Ribbentrop had become a successful businessman. His luxurious mansion in Berlin was frequented by industrialists, politicians, journalists, and cultural figures. Starting from 1930, his house became a meeting place for Nazi leaders, including Hitler, Goring, Himmler, and others. Ribbentrop played a crucial role in facilitating the Nazis' rise to power. Negotiations took place in his house regarding Hitler's appointment as Chancellor, involving leaders of the Nazi Party and representatives of President Hindenburg and right-wing bourgeois parties.

Role in Nazi Germany

On May 1, 1932, Ribbentrop joined the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and attained the rank of Standartenführer in the SS. Despite causing irritation among many Nazi leaders due to his vanity and arrogance, Ribbentrop enjoyed Hitler's favor and was appointed to lead the newly created Nazi external political organization, known as the "Ribbentrop Bureau." This bureau, staffed with members of the SS, operated alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In the autumn of 1934, Hitler instructed Ribbentrop to lay the groundwork for close German-Japanese cooperation. Ribbentrop was given the rank of "Plenipotentiary for External Political Affairs at the Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess' Staff" and "Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Third Reich." He was responsible for conducting negotiations and signing the Anglo-German Naval Agreement in 1935.

On August 11, 1936, Ribbentrop was appointed as the German Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and on February 4, 1938, he became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Third Reich. From this time onwards, Ribbentrop played a significant role in implementing Hitler's aggressive plans.

On August 23, 1939, Ribbentrop traveled to Moscow and signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with the Soviet Union's Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov. Ribbentrop was involved in every aspect of Nazi Germany's aggressive actions, including the Anschluss of Austria, the occupation of Czechoslovakia, the invasion of Poland, the occupation of Denmark and Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands, the defeat of France, and the attack on Yugoslavia and Greece. He was also responsible for the creation of aggressive blocs and the economic exploitation of occupied countries.

War crimes and conviction

Ribbentrop's role in the destruction of Jews on the territories occupied by Germany was particularly sinister. In the spring of 1943, he urged the Hungarian Regent Horthy to further intensify anti-Jewish measures. Ribbentrop emphasized, "Jews must be exterminated or sent to concentration camps - there is no other option." He also advocated for the lynching of English and American pilots who were shot down over Germany.

In April 1945, Ribbentrop managed to evade capture and fled to Hamburg, where he rented a room in an inconspicuous house under the nose of the British military command. However, on June 14, 1945, he was arrested by British occupation authorities and brought before the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. While in prison, Ribbentrop declared, "If Hitler appeared in this cell and told me to act, I, like everyone I know, would still act."

The court found Ribbentrop guilty on all four counts, including conspiracy to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity, and sentenced him to death. He was hanged on the morning of October 16, 1946.

"Ribbentrop Bureau"

The "Ribbentrop Bureau" (Dienststelle Ribbentrop), established in April 1933, was the Nazi Party's foreign policy department led by Joachim von Ribbentrop. It operated parallel to the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs and consisted of experts in foreign policy matters within Rudolf Hess' Chancellery. The bureau was gradually staffed with members of the SS, and Ribbentrop, who had a close friendship with Himmler, soon attained the high rank of Obergruppenführer in the SS.