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Dolibois, John E. (01018596): Difference between revisions

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Note Zekelman Library Archive oral-history holding (not public stream)
 
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|surname=Dolibois
|surname=Dolibois
|first=John
|first=John
|middle=E.
|middle=Ernest
|class_section=5D
|class_section=5D
|class_rank=2nd Lt
|class_rank=Second Lieutenant
|class_branch=Cav
|birth_year=1918
|birth_year=1918
|death_year=2014
|death_year=2014
|nativity=Lux
|nativity=Luxembourg
|religion=C
|religion=Catholic
|overseas=Y
|overseas=Y
|certificate=6722
|certificate=6722
Line 19: Line 18:
|birth_date=4 December 1918
|birth_date=4 December 1918
|death_date=2 May 2014
|death_date=2 May 2014
|birth_place=Luxembourg
|birth_place=Bonnevoie, Luxembourg
|death_place=Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
|death_place=Cincinnati, Ohio
|education=Miami University (BA)
|education=Miami University (BA)
|occupation=Diplomat, college administrator
|occupation=Diplomat, college administrator
|alias=Jean Ernst Dolibois
|alias=Jean Ernst Dolibois
|known_for=Diplomat, college administrator
|arm_or_service=Cavalry
|photo=4252601021428453.jpg
|rank_final=Second Lieutenant
}}
}}


<div class="soldier-lead">
<div class="soldier-lead">
John Ernest Dolibois (né Jean Ernst Dolibois; December 4, 1918 &ndash; May 2, 2014) was an American diplomat and university administrator who served as the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg from 1981 to 1985.
'''[[Dolibois, John E. (01018596)|John Ernest Dolibois]]''' (4 December 1918 – 2 May 2014), born Jean Ernst Dolibois, was a Luxembourg-born Ritchie Boy (Class 18) who interrogated Nazi leaders for Nuremberg and later served as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg.
</div>
</div>


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Jean Ernst Dolibois was born on 4 December 1918 in Bonnevoie, Luxembourg. He emigrated to the United States with his father in 1931, settling in Akron, Ohio, where he graduated from North High School and earned a psychology degree at Miami University (Beta Theta Pi).


John Ernest Dolibois (né Jean Ernst Dolibois; December 4, 1918 &ndash; May 2, 2014) was an American diplomat and university administrator who served as the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg from 1981 to 1985.
In the Army (1942–1946) he trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 18), taught German order of battle and Nazi Party hierarchy, and worked for SHAEF. At war’s end he helped interrogate high-ranking German prisoners—including Hermann Göring—at the “Ashcan” facility in Mondorf, Luxembourg, in preparation for the Nuremberg trials.
 
The following article was from "The American Israelite" dated November 16, 1995. Annie Jacobsen's book, OPERATION PAPERCLIP, includes many references to interrogations of high level German scientists, medical officials, engineers, etc., by US Army personnel to establish whether they could be eligible to be brought to the United States under a secret program to assist the US Government on Cold War projects. I found two references to Ritchie Boys who conducted interrogations.
 
One was Second Lieutenant Walter Jessel of the Forty-Fourth Division Counter Intelligence Corps, who interrogated Wernher von Braun. The second was John Dolibois, an officer with Army Intelligence, G-2, the Collecting and Disseminating Division. Goering was interrogated by Ritchie Boy John E.
 
We have made a few posts about him in the past, including when he passed away on on May 2, 2014.


Dolibois later became a Miami University administrator, U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg (1981–1985), and author of ''Pattern of Circles''. He died on 2 May 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* OSS
* OSS
* Ambassador
* Ambassador
* https://player.fm/series/veterans-chronicles-1399437


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<div class="soldier-gallery">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
<gallery mode="packed" heights="140px">
2547315918623647.jpg
4252601021428453.jpg|Nazi leader Hermann Göring in the Nuremberg prison awaiting trial. Göring was interrogated by Ritchie Boy [[Dolibois, John E. (01018596)|John E. Dolibois]]
2547332445288661.jpg
4252601021428453.jpg|Thanks to Professor Beverley Eddy, author of the soon-to-be available book, Ritchie Boy Secrets, for sharing this photo of Nazi leader Hermann Goering in the Nuremberg prison awaiting trial.
6049361761752361.jpg
6049361761752361.jpg
6049361758419028.jpg
6049361758419028.jpg
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| row_source || both
|}
|}
== Timeline ==
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed soldier-timeline">
<div class="soldier-timeline-body">
* 4 December 1918 — Born Jean Ernst Dolibois in Bonnevoie, Luxembourg.
* 1931 — Emigrated to Akron, Ohio.
* 1942–1946 — U.S. Army; Camp Ritchie Class 18; SHAEF / Ashcan interrogations for Nuremberg.
* 1981–1985 — United States Ambassador to Luxembourg.
* 1989 — Autobiography Pattern of Circles published.
* 2 May 2014 — Died in Cincinnati, Ohio.
</div>
</div><div style="clear: both;"></div>


== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_E._Dolibois Wikipedia: John E. Dolibois]
* [https://holocaustcenter.org/research/oral-history-department/oral-histories-index/ Zekelman Holocaust Center oral-history index] (lists John E. Dolibois — Library Archive holding; not an Oral History Department recording with public online player)
* Camp Ritchie class roster (classes 1–31), merged research file
* The American Israelite, 16 November 1995 (RB Archive clippings)
* [https://www.miamioh.edu/global-initiatives/education-abroad/mudec/about/history/john-dolibois/index.html Miami University — John Dolibois / MUDEC history]
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_E._Dolibois Wikipedia — John E. Dolibois]
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
* 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
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* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-06-03 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-06-03 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-15 (1 post)
* Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-15 (1 post)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of John E. Dolibois for Camp Ritchie'' (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
* Dan Gross, ''Timeline of Dolibois, John E. for Camp Ritchie'' (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: JOHN  E. DOLIBOIS.doc)

Latest revision as of 02:13, 17 September 2026

John Ernest Dolibois
John Ernest Dolibois
Personal details
Birth nameJean Ernst Dolibois
Born4 December 1918
Bonnevoie, Luxembourg
Died2 May 2014
Cincinnati, Ohio
NativityLuxembourg
ReligionCatholic
Known forDiplomat, College Administrator
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
Arm / serviceCavalry
ASN01018596
RankSecond Lieutenant
Camp RitchieClass 18 (13 April – 10 June 1944)
Section5D
Interview Watch John Ernest Dolibois on Public Library of Cincinnati.
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


John Ernest Dolibois (4 December 1918 – 2 May 2014), born Jean Ernst Dolibois, was a Luxembourg-born Ritchie Boy (Class 18) who interrogated Nazi leaders for Nuremberg and later served as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg.

Biography[edit | edit source]

Jean Ernst Dolibois was born on 4 December 1918 in Bonnevoie, Luxembourg. He emigrated to the United States with his father in 1931, settling in Akron, Ohio, where he graduated from North High School and earned a psychology degree at Miami University (Beta Theta Pi).

In the Army (1942–1946) he trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 18), taught German order of battle and Nazi Party hierarchy, and worked for SHAEF. At war’s end he helped interrogate high-ranking German prisoners—including Hermann Göring—at the “Ashcan” facility in Mondorf, Luxembourg, in preparation for the Nuremberg trials.

Dolibois later became a Miami University administrator, U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg (1981–1985), and author of Pattern of Circles. He died on 2 May 2014 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Research notes[edit | edit source]

  • OSS
  • Ambassador

Gallery[edit | edit source]

  • Nazi leader Hermann Göring in the Nuremberg prison awaiting trial. Göring was interrogated by Ritchie Boy John E. Dolibois
    Nazi leader Hermann Göring in the Nuremberg prison awaiting trial. Göring was interrogated by Ritchie Boy John E. Dolibois

Technical record[edit | edit source]

Field Imported value
Approx Age at Death 96
Class_ASN 18596
Class_Name DOLIBOIS, John E.
match_method asn_partial_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline[edit | edit source]

  • 4 December 1918 — Born Jean Ernst Dolibois in Bonnevoie, Luxembourg.
  • 1931 — Emigrated to Akron, Ohio.
  • 1942–1946 — U.S. Army; Camp Ritchie Class 18; SHAEF / Ashcan interrogations for Nuremberg.
  • 1981–1985 — United States Ambassador to Luxembourg.
  • 1989 — Autobiography Pattern of Circles published.
  • 2 May 2014 — Died in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Zekelman Holocaust Center oral-history index (lists John E. Dolibois — Library Archive holding; not an Oral History Department recording with public online player)
  • The American Israelite, 16 November 1995 (RB Archive clippings)
  • Miami University — John Dolibois / MUDEC history
  • Wikipedia — John E. Dolibois
  • Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
  • Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
  • NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
  • 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-08-02 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2021-06-03 (1 post)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-15 (1 post)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of John E. Dolibois for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Dolibois, John E. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: JOHN E. DOLIBOIS.doc)
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