Hitler's Diplomat: The Life and Times of Joachim Von RibbentropTicknor & Fields, 1992 - 376 pages This first full-length English-language biography of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Adolf Hitler's notorious foreign minister, is also an authoritative account of the social and political workings of Nazi Germany. The result of a lifetime of research and firsthand experience, the book combines narrative history of the highest order and intimate familiarity with the people, events, and social currents that animated Hitler's regime. A well-to-do social climber who made and married money, von Ribbentrop was among the few in Hitler's circle with a claim to social prominence. As ambassador to England, von Ribbentrop quickly worked his way up to head the Foreign Ministry, along the way negotiating the British Naval Agreement, the Anti-Comintern Pact, and the Soviet Non-Aggression Pact. Frustrated during the war, when diplomacy was rendered virtually obsolete, von Ribbentrop never forsook his Fuhrer even at Nurnberg, where he was tried and hanged as a senior war criminal. With a provocative foreword by Tom Wolfe that draws disturbing comparisons between the Berlin of the 1930s and American society of the 1980s, Hitler's Diplomat is not only the riveting story of one of Hitler's closest collaborators, it also provides a window onto a side of Nazi Germany that is as fascinating as it is troubling: the men and women of culture and means who gave themselves to Hitler and his war machine. |
From inside the book
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Page 125
... German relationship was sensitive . The embassy began to make more than the usual routine contacts with Germans who were living in Britain but who were neither Jewish refugees nor non - Jewish political exiles . By German law , every ...
... German relationship was sensitive . The embassy began to make more than the usual routine contacts with Germans who were living in Britain but who were neither Jewish refugees nor non - Jewish political exiles . By German law , every ...
Page 164
... Germans were as old as their mountains . The Czechoslovak Germans were often accused of arrogance . Indeed , the city of Prague and its ancient university were jewels of the German - speaking world and a source of German pride , though ...
... Germans were as old as their mountains . The Czechoslovak Germans were often accused of arrogance . Indeed , the city of Prague and its ancient university were jewels of the German - speaking world and a source of German pride , though ...
Page 165
... German , unlike the regional accents of the Sudeten Germans , and were among the country's leading citizens ... German . It was a derivative of the Greco- Roman mens sana in corpore sano concept and usually closely blended with German ...
... German , unlike the regional accents of the Sudeten Germans , and were among the country's leading citizens ... German . It was a derivative of the Greco- Roman mens sana in corpore sano concept and usually closely blended with German ...
Common terms and phrases
accepted According Adolf Hitler ally ambassador American Annelies Army asked attack Austrian became become began Berlin Britain British called Chamberlain chief command diplomatic early embassy England face fight final followed forced foreign minister former France French Führer German Germany's Goebbels Göring hand head Henderson Himmler invited Italian Italy Jewish Jews Joachim von Ribbentrop join June King knew known Kordt later lives London looked March matter meeting Mein Kampf military Ministry Moscow Munich Mussolini named Nazi Neurath never once ordered pact Papen Paris party peace plans Poland Polish political probably Reich returned Russian Schmidt secretary seemed senior sent signed soon Soviet staff things thought told took treaty tried troops turned uniform United usual von Ribbentrop wanted wrote young