Rudolf von Ribbentrop

RUDOLF VON RIBBENTROP, born on 11 May 1921, is the son of Joachim von Ribbentrop. He spent a year at Westminster School, London while his father was Ambassador to the Court of St James in the 1930’s.

Rudolf served with distinction throughout the Second World War. He was wounded for the first time during the 1940 Western Campaign. Commissioned in 1941, he served in Finland and at the retreat from Kharkov, with 1st Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, he took part in the famous battle of Prokhorovka on 12 July 1943 before transferring to 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend with whom he fought in France. He rose to command I./SS-Panzer Regiment 12 before surrendering to the Americans on 8 May 1945. He was wounded five times and his bravery awards included two Iron Crosses (First and Second Class), the German Cross in Gold, the Finnish Freedom Cross, the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge in Gold.