Rudolf von Rippentrop: Das Kriegstagebuch

224 p., Many b / w. Fig., Born in large format
Rudolf von Ribbentrop, the last bearer of the Waffen-SS Knight's Cross, died on May 20, 2019. Born in 1921 into a family of manufacturers, von Ribbentrop enjoyed an excellent education, including at Westminster boarding school in London, where his father Joachim von Ribbentrop was the German ambassador. When the war broke out, he joined the SS disposable troops. With the SS regiment "Germany" he went on the western campaign, where he acquired the EK II. After attending the Junker School in Braunschweig, he became SS-Untersturmführer in April 1941. This was followed by the use of the SS combat group "Nord" in Finland. After a wound had healed, he was transferred in February 1942 to the tank division of the Leibstandarte SS "Adolf Hitler", which was to be newly established. As platoon leader in the 6th Company and leader of the 7th Company, he took part in the Battle of Kharkov in February / March 1943. In the summer of 1943 he completed his masterpiece in the "Citadel" company: Alone with his Panzer IV he penetrated a Russian tank unit attacking near Prokhorovka and shot 14 T 34 enemy tanks while riding in it. For this he was awarded the Knight's Cross. He took part in the formation of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth", led the 3rd Company in the battles with the Western Allies in Normandy and the 1st Division of the 12th Panzer Regiment during the Battle of the Bulge Awarded gold, he then fought in Hungary and made the retreat as far as the Enns. After his release from captivity, von Ribbentrop had a successful career in industry. The exciting military biography of this exceptional soldier is based on Ribbentrops' own notes, is based on original sources and is richly illustrated. It illuminates the life of a person who stood his ground in war and peace.