In March 1945, Dolibois became a member of the five-member Army Intelligence team that interrogated the highest-ranking Nazi war criminals, leading to the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials. This included Hermann Goering, credited as the architect of the Nazi industrial machine and second-in-command under Adolf Hitler.
He organized the university’s first fund-raising campaign, for $14 million, from 1978-1981, which raised funds to build the university’s art museum, Marcum conference center and Yager football stadium, and to increase the number of scholarships. Dolibois also helped establish a study abroad program in Luxembourg in 1968. The Luxembourg center was renamed the Miami University John E. Dolibois European Center in 1987.
His son, Bob Dolibois, said his father’s outstanding quality was his strong sense of loyalty.
“He carried that everywhere he went. He created a strong sense of trust which led to success at Miami,” he said. “He never considered himself a fund-raiser. He saw it as matching people’s wishes to the needs of the university.”
That same quality of loyalty also served Dolibois well at a pivotal moment in history. He spoke the same German dialect as many of the Nazis, and the interrogation took place in Luxembourg itself.
“There was no question that he sensed he was at a very important point in World War II history. He was absolutely committed to his naturalized country, but he gained the trust of the Nazi war criminals because he was known as a straight shooter,” said Bob Dolibois.
“John Dolibois was one of Miami’s finest alumni,” said Miami President David Hodge. “He is the classic immigrant success story who served his adopted country with distinction in a unique role in the Nuremberg trials and later as ambassador to Luxembourg. A man of deep humanity, he was a master storyteller who had an incredible memory to draw from. He was passionate about Miami, serving the university in a formal role and for many years afterward as one of our most ardent ambassadors.”
A public memorial service is planned for a later date.
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