Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) (also known as the "Desert Fox"), was a German Field Marshal during World War II although his military career dated back to World War I. In WWI, as a junior officer, he received the Pour le Merite, Germany's highest decoration for valor in combat. [1]
Between the wars, he wrote the tactical text, Infantry in the Attack (Infanterie im Angriff),[2] although he became most known for leading armored forces.
While he commanded Adolf Hitler's military bodyguard at the start of the war, he soon left for higher command, increasingly disillusioned with Hitler. He commanded the 7th Panzer Division in the Battle of France.
North Africa
We have a very daring and skillful opponent against us, and, may I say across the havoc of war, a great general. — Winston Churchill in the House of Commons, 1942
To reinforce Italian forces in North Africa, he was sent there commanding the Africa Corps, but his role increased until his Rommel's conduct during World War II earned him the respect of all sides, except perhaps Hitler. [3] On receiving Hitler's Commando Order, he tore it up. When a British special operations team attempted to assassinate him in his headquarters, he had the survivors as his dinner guests before they went to prison camp.
Atlantic coast
He commanded Army Group B under Cinc-West Gerd von Rundstedt, responsible for the direct defense of the Atlantic coast against the expected Allied cross-channel invasion. One of his frustrations, after the start of the Battle of Normandy, was that Hitler had kept personal control of the release of the armored counterattack force, which he believed could have had a significant effect either if it had stayed under his control, or been released to him immediately when the first troops landed.
While in his command car, he was severely injured by an attack by an Allied fighter-bomber on 17 July 1944. He was succeeded by Walter Model.
German Resistance and forced suicide
Rommel was aware of the 20th of July Plot to kill Hitler in 1944, and that he was the conspirators' choice to become head of state. He was not, however, involved in planning the coup.
On 14 October 1944, Hitler's adjutants, Generals Wilhelm Burgdorf and Ernst Maisel, came to Rommel's home where he was recovering from his wounds. They told him that he had been implicated in the plot, but Hitler offered him a special dispensation. He could commit suicide immediately, using a cyanide capsule they brought with them, no retaliation would be taken against his family and staff, and he would be given a state funeral. If he refused, he would be brought before the Peoples' Court, with an inevitable death sentence and persecution of those close to him. He was given a few minutes to tell his wife, son, and closest aides, and then went with Burgdorf and Maisel. His body was brought to a military hospital shortly afterwards, which was told no autopsy was needed because he had died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Witnesses said he had an expression of intense contempt on his face.
He also deserves our respect, because, although a loyal German soldier, he came to hate Hitler and all his works, and took part in the conspiracy to rescue Germany by displacing the maniac and tyrant. For this, he paid the forfeit of his life. In the sombre wars of modern democracy, there is little place for chivalry. — Winston Churchill
References
- ↑ I diari di Rommel e gli italiani in Nord Africa
- ↑ Erwin Rommel, with Manfred Rommel in current version (1937), Infantry in the Attack (Infanterie im Angriff) (Zenith Press reprint & update, 2009 ed.), Zenith Press, ISBN 978-0760337158
- ↑ Erwin Rommel, Jewish Virtual Library