GERMAN DIPLOMAT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20680, 19 March 1937, Page 5

GERMAN DIPLOMAT

INDISPENSABLE TO NAZIS HERR VON RIBBENTROP Three anecdotes told of Herr Joachim von Ribbentrop, German Ambassador to Great Britain, who has been so prominent in. the cable news recently, and who is credited with being the brightest star in the Reich’s diplomatic firmament, give the key to his character. At a certain diplomatic dinner at Nuremburg in September, 1935, von Ribbentrop entertained his guests, then discoursed on the political problems of the hour and of the future. All the French were delighted with the freedom with which he spoke. But when, later, they tried to establish the points which he had discussed and to draw their conclusions they found that none of them’ could agree about the smooth phrases 'Which left them open to a variety ot interpretations. Another time, in the course of a discussion on armaments, the French and British delegates w#re emphasising the striking differenced ' 'existing in the points of view of their different countries and of Germany’ Von Ribbentrop smiling, listened in silence, then said, “After all, gentlemen, what does separate us? It is simply a question of terminology. In France military service is compulsory; in England it is voluntary; and in Germany it is voluntarily compulsory.” Well-Drawn Analogy And on still another occasion, diplomats were studying in his presence the question of colonies. One of them, speaking of a colony belonging to a Power of second order, whose bad climate and aridity are well-known, said: “This country would be habitable if it had water and'a* better population.” To which Herr von Ribbentrop remarked: “If I do not mistake, that is exactly what could be said of hell.” Born 44 years ago at Wesel, a small town situated on the banks of the Rhine at the Dutch frontier, von Ribbentrop is the offspring of substantial German families who have given military men, high officials and landed proprietors to their .country, and count among their ancestors a chief of Blucher’s general staff at Waterloo. His

. parents made sure he acquired perfect language facility, amHsent him to spend considerable Switzerland ’ France and England/*:The result is he < speaks French like a Parisian and English like a Britqn,. Secret Service Outwitted At 18 years of age Jac went to Canada and, having to earn .a.living, got engaged as a draftsman* 'with' a Quebec engineer detailed to build the bridge across the St. Lawrence. When in 1914 war broke out the Canadian counterespionage service, suspecting him of being a German secret service agent, decided to arrest him. But when the police came to his quarters they found the bird had flown.' They began to search, emptying all the drawers in the hope of finding incriminating information. While this was 'going on Ribbentrop, who had seen the visitors * coming, had disguised himself and got ; away quietly. ' Von Ribbentrop went to the United States and embarked on a Dutch boat going to Germany. But the ship called at a British port, and the English police sifted the 500 passengers in order t to catch any young Germans returning J for military service to their native ■ country. Again fortune favoured von Ribbentrop, who, with a young comrade ■ hid in the coal shute. . Back in Germany he set out for the Eastern front • as a lieutenant in a regiment of hussars, but on account of his perfect ; facility in foreign languages they were

not long in summoning him to the Ministry of War at Berlin. At the time of the Armistice he was on a mission to Constantinople. Hitler's Right-hand Man Tire war over, von Ribbentrop was faced with the prospect of making a living, and went into the wine trade. He distinguished himself in this new profession by his business skill, and in 1920 married the daughter of a maker of wines which imitate champagne. He became business adviser to Otto Henkel the richest wine maker in the Rhineland. He later became an associate of his millionaire father-in-law. Business compelled him to travel, and took him off to France, England and the United States, where he formed numerous contacts. He joined the Nazis in 1928 and soon became indispensable. It was von Ribbentrop, with von Papon, who in January, 1935, negotiated Hitler’s interview with MarshalPresident' von Hindenburg. He managed to surround his chief and friend with the Army representatives, including General von Blomberg, and the head of high finance, Dr. Schacht. Little by little his role grew, and eventually he became Hitler’s closest consultant. In time von Ribbentrop was entrusted with secret missions abroad.

Von Ribbentrop is credited with playing the leading role in the doubledeck policy under which Germany has an official Ministry of Foreign Affairs which exists side by side with the unofficial Nazi group who are responsible for all important decisions. It is this group which decided that Germany should leave the League of Nations, that conscription should be introduced and the Rhine reoccupied.