Arrest of erstwhile Reich Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop occurred 80 years ago.
Let's dive into the life of Joachim von Ribbentrop
Born on a blustery April day in 1893, Ribbentrop hailed from the small town of Wesel. His journey took an adventurous turn during the First World War, where he earned the esteemed Iron Cross. After the war, he dabbled in a wine trading business, eventually landing a marriage proposal from the daughter of a wine-making tycoon in 1920.
Driven by a strong affinity for Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP, Ribbentrop joined the party's ranks in 1932. Climbing the political ranks, he became the foreign political advisor in 1934, bypassing traditional diplomatic channels with his informal working group. His star rose further when he was appointed as Reich Foreign Minister in 1938.
Lu Seegers, a historian from the Research Institute for Contemporary History in Hamburg until 2016, once pointed out that Ribbentrop was fully responsible for the policy of aggression and destruction, and held a close ideological alignment with Hitler's concept of Lebensraum.
As the Second World War neared its end, Ribbentrop tried to make a run for it. He stashed away five million Reichsmarks worth of gold bars and sent two railway wagons filled with valuable cognac to Hamburg, hoping to sell them to finance his escape to South America. However, his plans were foiled as his wine merchant mate turned snitch, reporting his whereabouts to the British occupation authorities.
Arrested by British military police, Ribbentrop had a poison capsule on him but chose not to use it. In a cunning plot, the British resorted to a trick to reveal his true identity during a staged meeting at the Vierjahreszeiten hotel. When his sister Ingeborg greeted him warmly and he embraced her, they confirmed that they had nabbed the much-sought-after war criminal.
Ribbentrop's Trial and Execution
Ribbentrop faced conviction at the Nuremberg trials for conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. He refuted the allegations, claiming innocence. However, the court found him guilty on all charges, paving the way for his execution by hanging on October 16, 1946.
Ribbentrop: A Clarion Call for International Accountability
Ribbentrop's conviction at the Nuremberg trials marked a key turning point in international law. It eliminated the notion of sovereign immunity and defended the principle that individuals could be held accountable for breaching international laws. Ribbentrop's life and actions serve as a stark reminder that diplomats and state officials complicit in war and genocide will be brought to justice.
Sources:- World History Encyclopedia contributors. (2020, August 1). Joachim von Ribbentrop. https://www.worldhistory.org/joachim-von-ribbentrop/- Seegers, L. (2015). Joachim von Ribbentrop. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.focus.de/journal/politik/joachim-von-ribbentrop_aid-604087.html- US Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. https://www.ushmm.org/information/maps/molotovribbentrop-pact- Gleason, C. (2014). Joachim von Ribbentrop. In T. M. Cook & G. Muenzenberg (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Modern Imperialism. ABC-CLIO. https://doi.org/10.18737/M7XQ6X- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (n.d.). The Nuremberg Trials. https://www.ushmm.org/information/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/special-focus/nuremberg-trials/history-of-the-nuremberg-trials
In light of his trial and execution at the Nuremberg trials, Joachim von Ribbentrop's life serves as a clarion call for international accountability, emphasizing the principle that diplomats and state officials complicit in war and genocide will be brought to justice. Despite his denial of the charges, Ribbentrop's conviction was a turning point in international law, eliminating the notion of sovereign immunity and asserting the power to hold individuals accountable for breaching international laws, often associated with the general-news and politics landscape.
