Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Few artifacts can claim such a direct connection to one of the most important judicial proceedings in world history. This is an original autograph from the remarkable Daniel Roman Nuremberg Collection, an archive of 118 signatures assembled during the immediate aftermath of World War II by an American soldier who served as a guard at the Nuremberg Prison while many of the Third Reich's most notorious figures awaited trial, testimony, sentencing, or execution.

This is a signed paper bearing the autograph of Joachim von Ribbentrop (1893-1946), German Foreign Minister from 1938 to 1945 and one of the principal defendants at the Nuremberg Trials. The paper measures approximately 4 ¾” x 4” (12.1 x 10.2 cm) and bears his large handwritten signature in blue-green ink above the typed identification "VON RIBBENTROP. JOACHIM". Included is an English-language newspaper clipping depicting Ribbentrop in frontal and profile portraits, accompanied by a summary of the accusations brought against him at Nuremberg.

This signature is part of the collection featured in the IMA series The Cache with Alex Cranmer, giving it an additional modern history alongside its considerable German WWII and Nuremberg Trials collector appeal.

Joachim von Ribbentrop was one of the leading figures in the diplomatic affairs of the Third Reich, whose career became closely connected with German territorial expansion and the outbreak of WWII. A former businessman who entered politics during the early 1930s, he became an important diplomatic adviser to AH and was appointed German Ambassador to Great Britain in 1936. On February 4, 1938, he succeeded Konstantin von Neurath as Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs, a position he retained until Germany's defeat in May 1945.

As Foreign Minister, Ribbentrop played a central role in the diplomatic preparations preceding WWII. His most consequential achievement was the negotiation and signing of the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, commonly known as the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, on August 23, 1939. Signed in Moscow with Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov, the agreement included a secret protocol dividing territories in Eastern Europe into German and Soviet spheres of influence. The pact helped prepare the way for Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939, which marked the beginning of WWII in Europe.

During the war, Ribbentrop remained responsible for German foreign relations and participated in negotiations with Germany's allies and occupied territories. He was involved in the diplomatic arrangements surrounding the Tripartite Pact of September 27, 1940, which formalized the alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan. His Foreign Office also participated in the implementation of German occupation policies, including diplomatic efforts connected with the persecution and deportation of Jewish populations from countries under German influence.

Following Germany's defeat in May 1945, Ribbentrop was arrested by British forces and subsequently brought before the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, where he stood trial alongside other leading figures of the Third Reich. The proceedings, held between November 1945 and October 1946, examined the responsibility of senior German officials for the planning and conduct of aggressive war and crimes committed throughout occupied Europe.

Ribbentrop was indicted on all four counts presented by the prosecution. The Tribunal examined his participation in the diplomatic preparations for the annexation of Austria, the dismantling of Czechoslovakia, the invasion of Poland, and subsequent German military campaigns. His position as Foreign Minister and his involvement in German occupation policies formed important parts of the prosecution's case. The accompanying newspaper clipping is particularly interesting for its summary of these accusations, using language closely corresponding to the original Nuremberg indictment.

On October 1, 1946, the Tribunal found Ribbentrop guilty on all four counts: conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The judgment addressed his responsibility for preparing and facilitating German aggression and his involvement in the criminal policies carried out during the war.

He was sentenced to death by hanging and executed at Nuremberg on October 16, 1946, at the age of 53. He was the first of the condemned defendants to be executed.

The collection was assembled by Daniel Roman, a member of Company D, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, who was stationed in Nuremberg during the historic trials. According to a recently notarized affidavit signed by his daughter, Roman frequently spoke of his experiences guarding detained Third Reich officials and other individuals connected to the proceedings. He described how identification photographs were posted outside prisoners' cells so guards could verify identities. Over time, some guards began removing the photographs and obtaining autographs directly from the prisoners, often in exchange for cigarettes or small favors. Roman carefully preserved these signed photographs and documents for decades, creating what is today one of the most extraordinary surviving groups of Nuremberg-related autographs ever assembled.

This collection contains signatures from individuals connected not only to the International Military Tribunal, but also to the subsequent Nuremberg Military Tribunals, including the Doctors Trial, Industrialists Trial, Ministries Trial, and other proceedings that sought to bring accountability to those responsible for the crimes of the Third Reich.

Among the most notable names represented within the collection are senior Third Reich leaders, military commanders, industrialists, physicians, and key participants in the trials, including figures such as Hermann Göring, Albert Speer, Karl Dönitz, Baldur von Schirach, Hans Frank, Julius Streicher, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Wilhelm Keitel, Walther Funk, Hjalmar Schacht, Fritz Sauckel, Arthur Seyss-Inquart, Ernst Kaltenbrunner, and numerous defendants from the Doctors and Industrialists Trials. Many of these men stood accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and crimes against peace, while others appeared as witnesses, defendants in subsequent proceedings, or individuals interrogated by Allied authorities.

The provenance accompanying these signatures is exceptional. The notarized family affidavit is supported by original wartime documentation confirming Daniel Roman's service in Nuremberg, including:

● Provost Marshal Identification Card identifying Roman as serving with the 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
● Class B Pass dated April 15, 1946.
● Army Ration Card dated October 20, 1945.
● Permanent Pass dated May 18, 1946.
● Nuremberg transportation pass dated September 8, 1946.

Historical records further confirm that the 26th Infantry Regiment assumed responsibility for the Nuremberg Trial prisoners in April 1946, directly corresponding with Roman's documented service at the prison facility.

Many of the original photographs in the collection retain small thumbtack holes near the upper edge. While such marks would normally be considered condition issues, in this case they provide compelling physical evidence supporting the family's account that these photographs were once displayed outside prison cells within the Nuremberg detention complex itself.

Each autograph in the collection has been carefully examined under magnification and exhibits the characteristics of a genuine period live-ink signature, rather than a printed facsimile or reproduction. The signatures remain exactly as obtained and preserved by Daniel Roman over seventy years ago.

Interest in the Nuremberg Trials remains as strong as ever, recently renewed by the Hollywood motion picture Nuremberg, which has introduced a new audience to the dramatic events, personalities, and moral questions surrounding these historic proceedings. Original artifacts with direct prison provenance have become increasingly difficult to locate, making this collection a rare opportunity for collectors, museums, researchers, and historians alike.

Included with Every Signature
To preserve the extraordinary provenance of this collection, every purchaser will receive:

● A printed copy of the notarized affidavit from Daniel Roman's daughter detailing the history of the collection.
● Printed copies of Daniel Roman's wartime identification cards, passes, and supporting Nuremberg service documents.
● A printed copy of a 1946 photograph showing Roman and fellow American Military Police personnel marching outside the Nuremberg courthouse complex.

A Direct Connection to History
Whether the individual represented was a principal defendant, witness, military leader, physician, industrialist, or other participant in the trials, each autograph from the Daniel Roman Collection offers a tangible connection to the historic effort to hold the leadership of Third Reich Germany accountable before the world. More than a simple signature, it is a surviving artifact from the very prison and courtroom complex where the foundations of modern international criminal law were established.

The signature offered in this listing is the exact example shown and comes from the documented Daniel Roman Nuremberg Collection, acquired directly from the family of the U.S. Army guard who assembled it during the trials themselves.