Figure 1.--The Ribbentrops had five children. Here are the first four, we think about 1938. The older boy here is Ruldolf while still in the Hitler Youth. He would bdcome a highly decorated Waffen-SS officer. We have not been able to find much about the other children. The body language does not suggest a very close family..

Ribbentrop after World War I met Anna Elisabeth Henkell, called 'Annelies' within the family (1919). Money and arustoicratic 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 domionnt partner. 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- ) He is seen here in his Hitler Youth uniform (figure 1). The younger Ribbentrop attended the 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 was not popular with the other NAZI laeaders. One schoolmate describes Rudolf as 'doltish, surly and arrogant'. [Urquhart] Tht would lso be a fair descriptioin of his farher. Rudolf 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, howeever, 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 iunformation 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 lkebgthy litigation as the Allies tried to strip her of her wealth, some of which was inherited meaning it was legal. She wrote several books defending her husband's role in the War.

Sources

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.

Created: 2:16 PM 2/27/2021
Last updated: 2:16 PM 2/27/2021