Article about: Here is my latest top of the line acquisition.. Purchased through one of my very good friends in Germany. He is a close friend to Ursula von Ribbentrop. He was allowed to buy some of her bro
Here is my latest top of the line acquisition.. Purchased through one of my very good friends in Germany.
He is a close friend to Ursula von Ribbentrop. He was allowed to buy some of her brothers private belongings, who died in May 2019.. He do not want to have his name or the other things shown here in the forum.
But he bought three of the same type of silk high hats all from allegedly Rudolf von Ribbentrop.
And it is one of those I was lucky enough to buy.
We always say, buy the item, not the story.. But in this case I bought the story.. Knowing his connection with the family.
I am sure people who know their German ww2 history knows who his father Joachim von Ribbentrop was!
And his son Rudolf von Ribbentrop went on to become Hauptsturmführer
Later in the war..
The hat he allegedly used when he studied in England, where his father was ambassador to Britain.
He studied at Westminster School in London.
It is of the finest silk and in excellent condition throughout.. Small nips here and there.. The hat box is quite fragile though.
The hatbox is marked on the front with:
Hut-, Mützen-& Pelzwarenlager
Anton Zill
Mittweida
Rochlitzerstrasse 21
On the top it is marked:
Fabrik-Lager Feiner Seiden, - Filz-u. Modehüte.
And underneath the top is the writing in pencil saying:
Rudolf von Ribbentrop
And some nice looking patterns..
Inside the hat is a gold makers mark who reads: Exposition Universelle 1900.
And this is a Paris hat maker i have checked up on.
On the side of the inside is his initials in gold letters: RvR
I tried to photograph it in all possible ways, but not the best daylight we had here today.
Here follows the story of Rudolf von Ribbentrop:
Born (1921-05-11)May 11, 1921
Died May 20, 2019(2019-05-20) (aged 98)
Place of birth Wiesbaden, Weimar Republic
Allegiance Flag of German Reich (1935–1945).svg Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen SS
Years of service 1939 – 1945
Rank Hauptsturmführer
Unit SS Panzer Regiment 1
• 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
• 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
Commands held 1. Kompanie, Battalion "Nord"
• 6. Kompanie, II./SS-PzRgt 1
• 7. Kompanie, II./SS-PzRgt 1
• 3. Kompanie, I./SS-PzRgt 12
I./SS-PzRgt 12
Battles/wars
World War II
Battle of the Netherlands
Battle of France
Operation Barbarossa
Third Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kursk
Battle of Prokhorovka
Normandy Campaign
Falaise pocket
Battle of the Bulge
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
German Cross in Gold
Relations Joachim von Ribbentrop (father)
Rudolf von Ribbentrop (11 May 1921-20 May 2019) was a former German Waffen-SS Captain who served in World War II. He was the son of the German diplomat and Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. Ribbentrop distinguished himself in the Continuation War.
Early life
Rudolf von Ribbentrop spent a year at Westminster School, London while his father was Ambassador to Britain.
Peter Ustinov, in his publications, claimed that he studied with Rudolf von Ribbentrop in the same class at Westminster School. However, Rudolf von Ribbentrop denied this and other fictional “general” memoirs of Ustinov.
In the post-war period Rudolf von Ribbentrop was a successful entrepreneur and book author. He performed surprisingly publicly in Moscow on October 24, 2015 when he presented his work from 2008, orginal title is Joachim von Ribbentrop: Mein Vater: Erlebnisse und Erinnerungen.
Military career
Beginning
On 1 September 1939, when World War II started, von Ribbentrop joined as a recruit in the replacement battalion of the SS-Infantry Regiment Deutschland in Munich. A month later, in October 1939, von Ribbentrop was transferred to the field regiment, which was located in the occupied portion of Czechoslovakia. In this regiment, he was enlisted to the 11. Kompanie. He served in this Kompanie during the Western Campaign, winning the Iron Cross second class, and was promoted to Sturmmann. He was also wounded for the first time.
After the Western Campaign, Ribbentrop was sent to the SS-Junkerschule in Braunschweig in order to gain training as platoon leader. He was commissioned on 20 April 1941 as a Untersturmführer. He was given command of a platoon in 1. Kompanie in Reconnaissance Battalion "Nord". Upon the invasion of Russia, SS-Kampfgruppe Nord was sent to Finland where Ribbentrop was to distinguish himself and was awarded the Finnish Freedom Cross, fourth class. On 2 September 1941, Ribbentrop was wounded again in his left forearm. He was sent to the SS hospital in Hohenlychen, where he stayed until February 1942. After a home leave, he was reassigned to the newly formed Panzerregiment of the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH)
Russian Front
He was transferred to 3. Kompanie's 1st Platoon as a platoon leader. Ribbentrop arrived through Pommerania and Eastern Prussia in Kharkov in February 1943. Soon, the SS-Panzer Corps - commanded by Paul Hausser, was threatened to be surrounded by the Soviets. Hausser commanded an attack towards the south in order to break the encirclement. SS-Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Meyer led his regiment towards the Alexeyevska (or Alexeyewka). During that time, Ribbentrop was an armoured vehicle commander. The German 7th Company attacked the enemy's armoured spearhead in a marshy area. The 6th company went to protect its sister company and secure its withdrawal. They destroyed several Soviet light tanks and anti-tank guns. During the battle, Ribbentrop heard the voice of the company's radio operator, Lieutenant Alt, who informed him that the company's commander tank had been knocked down. Not long after, Ribbentrop's Panzer IV received a minor hit which destroyed its antenna and disabled future communication. Light Soviet forces were driven back by evening. Hausser's rescue plan was launched in morning, two days after, while Ribbentrop was with his company in Merefa. There he met Hausser for the very first time, who told them "Good luck!" Meyer received an order to hit the Soviet encircling ring at its weakest point in Nowaja Vololaga. His goal was to establish a connection with Fritz Witt's battle group. Second Platoon of the 6th Company, led by SS-Lieutenant Erckardt had a task to lead the company. Soon, Erckardt entered into a firefight in a village, and he was soon killed. Ribbentrop received an order to replace him. After he took command of the 2nd Platoon, Ribbentrop ordered an advance at high speed. They passed scattered Soviet troops, and, during the advance, they destroyed few light tanks and anti-tank guns without slowing their advance. Such a manouevre placed Meyer 40 kilometers behind the Soviet spearhead. Meyer stayed behind Ribbentrop's tanks in his car and didn't let other tanks halt. Tanks freely raced through Kharkov facing minor opposition from the Soviets on their left and right flanks. Just before the dark, they reached Yefremowka, a village near Alexeyevska, which was their goal for the day. Alexeyevska was captured on 13 February. In order to liberate Alexeyevska, the Soviets launched a fierce attack. However, the Germans succeeded defending the town with heavy losses. During the action, a Soviet sniper wounded Ribbentrop through the lung. Ribbentrop refused to be pulled back to a hospital, but instead he went to rescue wounded soldiers. Ribbentrop was awarded the Iron Cross first class for his personal bravery in these battles. After serving briefly with the Regimental Staff as an Operations Officer, he was then assigned to the 6. Kompanie, II./SS-PzRgt 1, in command of the first Platoon where he went into action during the retreat from Kharkov. Ribbentrop was wounded for the third time during these battles; shot in the right shoulder blade and left shoulder. On 1 March 1943, Ribbentrop succeeded SS Lieutenant Alt as commander of the 7. Kompanie, and he was the Kompaniechef during the recapture of Kharkov. After Kharkov was captured, Ribbentrop was placed as a Regimental Adjutant. One month later he was given the responsibility of training Luftwaffe members that were sent to the LSSAH. On 15 June he returned to field command, and was appointed commander of 6. Kompanie. One month later, on 20 July he was awarded the Knight's Cross.
Western Front
On 1 August he was transferred to the newly formed 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, and was charged with commanding two Junior officer training courses. Four months later he was appointed commander of the 3. Kompanie, I./SS-PzRgt 12. On 3 June 1944, heading back to Le Neubourg following a training excersize, his car was attacked by a Spitfire, and von Ribbentrop was wounded for the fourth time. By 9 June, he was back in command of his Kompanie. During the defensive battles in Normandy, Ribbentrop was awarded the German Cross in Gold, and the Panzer Assault Badge. Following the breakout from Falaise, von Ribbentrop was made the Regimental Adjutant to SS-Panzerregiment 12. It was in this capacity that he saw action during Operation Wacht Am Rhein. On 20 December he was wounded for the fifth time with a shell fragment in his mouth. He was awarded the Wound Badge in Gold, and was given command of I./SS-PzRgt 12. He commanded this Abteilung until the Division surrendered to the Americans on 8 May 1945.
Awards
Iron Cross II: 19 June 1940
Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze: 1 October 1940
Wound Badge in Black: 18 April 1940
Finnish Cross of Liberty IV: 1 October 1941
Iron Cross I: 18 March 1943
Wound Badge in Silver: 1 May 1943
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross: 15 July 1943
German Cross in Gold: 25 August 1944
Commissioned Ranks
Commissioned SS-Untersturmführer: 20 April 1941
SS-Obersturmführer: 20 April 1943
SS-Hauptsturmführer: 30 January 1945
Wounds
Wounded: Fragment in upper right arm 30 May 1941
Wounded: Bullet wound in left forearm 2 September 1941
Wounded: Shot in back 5 February 1943
Wounded: Wounded in back by strafing enemy fighter-bomber 3 June 1944
Wounded: Shell fragment in Mouth 20 December 1944
Surrender
Taken prisoner by Americans 8 May 1945
LTC, congrats on such a historically important piece.
If there was one top-hat from the era to have, that would be it.
He was required to wear the hat (and penguin suit) to Westminster School every day.
For anyone interested in the history of the TR, his biography of his father is now out in english:
(he also discusses his own activities with the LSSAH).
“Show me the regulation, and I’ll show you the exception.”
Rudolf von Ribbentrop
.
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