Ribbentrop, von, Rudolf (Waffen SS)
- Date of birth:
- May 11th, 1921 (Wiesbaden/Hessen, Germany)
- Date of death:
- May 20th, 2019 (Ratingen/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)
- Service number:
- SS-Nr.: 400.121 // NSDAP-Nr.:
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Rudolf von Ribbentrop was born on May 11th, 1921 as son to Reichsaussenminister Joachim von Ribbentrop and Anna Elisabeth (Annelies) Henkell.
Career:
01.09.1939: SS-Schütze
18.04.1940: SS-Schütze, 11. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland", WIA - campaign in the West
00.05.1940: SS-Sturmman
00.07.1940: SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig
20.04.1941: promoted to SS-Untersturmführer
00.06.1941: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, 1. Kompanie, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 6, SS-Kampfgruppe „Nord" - Finnland
02.09.1941: SS-Ustuf, WIA to the forearm and evacuated
00.09.1941-00.02.1942: SS-Lazarett Hohenlychen
00.02.1942: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, I. Zug, 3. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler'
00.02.1943: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, 6. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' - Battle of Kharkov, Merefa, Nowaja Vololaga, Yefremowka
13.02.1943: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, II. Zug, 3. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' - Alexeyevska
13.02.1943: WIA for the 3rd time to the lung, the right shoulder and the left shoulder
00.02.1943: SS-Ustuf, O2, Stab, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler
00.02.1943: SS-Ustuf, Zugführer, I. Zug, 6. Schwadron, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler'
01.03.1943: SS-Ustuf, Führer, 7. Schwadron, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' - recapture of Kharkov
20.04.1943: promoted to SS-Obersturmführer
00.04.1943: SS-Ostuf, Regiments-Adjutant, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler'
15.06.1943: SS-Ostuf, Führer, 6. Schwadron, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler' - Prochorowka-Teterewino, Kursk
01.08.1943: SS-Ostuf, Chef, 3. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Hitlerjugend" - France
03.06.1944; SS-Ostuf, WIA by a Spitfire in Le Neubourg and evacuated
09.06.1944: SS-Ostuf, Chef, 3. Schwadron, SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Hitlerjugend" - campaign in Normandy, Norrey en Bessin, Falaise
01.09.1944: SS-Ostuf, Regiments-Adjutant, SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Hitlerjugend" - Operation Wacht Am Rhein
20.12.1944: WIA for the 6th time to the mouth
00.12.1944: SS-Ostuf, Führer, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Hitlerjugend" - Battle of the Bulge / Ardennes
30.01.1945: promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer
00.02.1945: SS-Hstuf, Führer, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division „Hitlerjugend" - Hungary
00.03.1945: SS-Hstuf, Führer, Kampfgruppe Ribbentrop - battle of Vienna
08.05.1945: surrendered to the US troops - US POW
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- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Führer, 6. Kompanie, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Panzer-Division “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”, Waffen-SS
- Awarded on:
- July 15th, 1943
Here follows a recommendation for the German Cross in Gold for Rudolf von Ribbentrop, who would instead be awarded the Knight’s Cross…
"SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop was himself a Zugführer in the winter fighting this year and now serves as Führer of a Panzer Kompanie in the present break-in fighting. In both roles he has especially distinguished himself through outstanding courage, coldblooded bravery and circumspect leadership.
After successful close combat in the area Nowaja Wodolaga, he was awarded the Iron Cross First Class on the 01.03.1943 for proven and outstanding courage.
In the hard fighting north of Kharkov, on the 12.03.1943, he penetrated the enemy defenses in street fighting and made a connection with the other Grenadiers around Red Square, which provided further jump-off points for the advance into the city. After the occupation of the city of Kharkov, the resulting push on Belgorod placed him in the lead Kompanie. He penetrated into the city on 18.03.1943 at the head of his Kompanie in a personal, bold action. He thus holds an outstanding share of the success of the attack on Belgorod.
On the 07.07.1943 the II./SS-Pz.Rgt. 1 LAH, following a successful attack on Teterewino, was attacked numerous times in the flanks by strong Russian tank forces. From a favourable attack position a Russian armoured group of 40 T-34s drove right in front of the Kompanie of SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop. He immediately took charge of the situation, attacked the enemy with his smaller force and with this shot up 6 enemy tanks without loss. This courage and boldness resulted in the failure of the enemy attack, also forcing them to retreat.
On the 08.07.1943 the Abteilung attacked Rylski. SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop once again took part in the deliberate attack, within the framework of the Abteilung. The village are was occupied by 80 enemy tanks. He himself shot up numerous tanks and forced the remainder to flee. A large amount of these remained stuck in the swamp. Of the 30 tanks destroyed by the Abteilung by far the largest share fell to the Kompanie of SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop.
On the 12.07.1943, the Russians penetrated near Prochorowka with about 150 tanks of the type T-34 in the early morning, threatening the security of the positions of the Grenadiers. The combat-ready Kompanie of SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop threw itself toward this enemy and became engaged in battle with the much stronger foe. The whole Abteilung fought through a hard 3-hour tank battle and the most important share of the success was on account of the decisiveness and fearlessness of SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop. In this fight he destroyed 14 enemy tanks.
For repeated displays of bravery and outstanding courage by SS-Obersturmführer von Ribbentrop, I ask that he be given the German Cross in Gold as he is worthy of this high award."
Was recommended to receive the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold but was awarded the Ritterkreuz.
The awarding date varies on different primary sources, the date of July 15th, 1943 is reported on the Verleihungsvorschlag and on the Ritterkreuzträgerkarteikarte.
Sources
- Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
- Photo 2:
- Photo 3:
- - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd, 2010.
- PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
- SCHNEIDER, J.W., Their Honor Was Loyalty!, Bender (R.James) Publishing, 1993.
- Ritterkreuz Archiv II/2012, Veit Scherzer, Ranis, Juli 2012, ISSN 1866-4709