This work focuses on the life of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler's Foreign Minister from 1938 until the end of the Third Reich. At the heart of German power during the war, this strange, sinister and intriguing character was violently anti-British, and he encouraged Hitler in a policy that led to war with Great Britain. His grandiose attempts at alliance-building produced a disastrous military coalition with Italy and Japan, and the infamous Pact with the Soviet Union. It was a career that would end on the gallows at Nuremberg. Bloch's alert and highly readable style is equally at ease in world diplomacy as in the in-fighting between various Nazi government departments― LITERARY REVIEW This outstanding biography, vividly written, tells a riveting story: of the life of a sinister character...Bloch has plumbed the depths of his career with great skill.― GOOD BOOK GUIDE RIBBENTROP is an excellent biography: intelligent, scrupulously fair and a remarkable picture of a man who was spiritually barren― Philip Zeigler Bloch's masterful biography vividly outlines the story of how a likeable opportunist became one of the most despicable figures of the 20th century.― GLASGOW HERALD Written by one of the preeminent writers of his generation, this superb biography traces the life of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler’s Foreign Minister from 1938 until the end of the Third Reich. At the heart of German power during the war, this strange, sinister, intriguing character was also violently anti–British, encouraging Hitler in a policy that ultimately led to war with Great Britain. Moreover, his grandiose attempts at alliance–building produced a disastrous military coalition with Italy and Japan as well as the infamous Pact with the Soviet Union. It was a career that would end on the gallows at Nuremberg, where he headed the death procession. Written with verve, pace, and the subtle intelligence of a world–class biographer, Ribbentrop is a remarkable portrait of a bizarre, historically neglected figure. Written by one of the preeminent writers of his generation, this superb biography traces the life of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Hitler s Foreign Minister from 1938 until the end of the Third Reich. At the heart of German power during the war, this strange, sinister, intriguing character was also violently anti British, encouraging Hitler in a policy that ultimately led to war with Great Britain. Moreover, his grandiose attempts at alliance building produced a disastrous military coalition with Italy and Japan as well as the infamous Pact with the Soviet Union. It was a career that would end on the gallows at Nuremberg, where he headed the death procession. Written with verve, pace, and the subtle intelligence of a world class biographer, Ribbentrop is a remarkable portrait of a bizarre, historically neglected figure. Michael Bloch was born in 1953 and trained for the law. From 1979 he assisted Maître Suzanne Blum, the Parisian lawyer of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. He is the author of several books on the Windsors as well as other acclaimed works of non-fiction.