On This Day in History 1943

 

SS Obergruppenfuhrer von Ribbentrop

Martin Luther, State Secretary at the German Foreign Ministry (Auswärtiges Amt) & attendee at the infamous Wansee conference, is arrested for attempting to overthrow the Foreign Minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop. Luther has attempted to prove, with the assistance of SS Standartenfuhrer Walter Schellenberg, that von Ribbentrop is insane.

A report on von Ribbentrop’s insanity has been passed to Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler. Unfortunately for Luther, Himmler has been convinced by the head of his personal office – SS Obergruppenfuhrer Karl Wolff, that as von Ribbentrop is also an SS Obergruppenfuhrer, the SS should support him, rather than his accuser. Luther’s report is sent to von Ribbentrop.

Schellenberg has been involved in the plot to overthrow von Ribbentrop, as he believes it will be easier for the Germans to make a compromise peace without the beliigerent Foreign Minister.

Martin Luther & his co-conspirators are arrested. Luther is sent to a concentration camp, where he is made librarian & spends the rest of the war. SS Brigadefuhrer Ernst von Weisacker, another State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, is moved to the role of Ambassador to the Holy See, as part of the re-organisation of the ministry that follows.

 Bibliography

The von Hassell Diaries 1938-1944 – Ulrich von Hassell, Hamish Hamilton 1948

Himmler Reichsfuhrer SS – Peter Padfield, Cassell 2001

SS – The Alibi of a Nation – Gerard Reitlinger, Da Capo Press 1957

The Wilhelmstrasse – Paul Seabury, Greenwood Press 1976