Erwin Rommel

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

Born 15 November 1891, Heidenheim an der Brenz, Germany – died 14 October 1944 (aged 52), Herrlingen, Blaustein, Germany

Few commanders of the Second World War stir such strong and contradictory emotions as Erwin Rommel. To some he was a chivalrous soldier, a genius of armoured tactics and a tragic hero who ultimately turned against Hitler. To others – a loyal instrument of the Nazi regime, whose legend was carefully built by the propaganda of the Third Reich. The truth, as usual, is more complex than either of these extremes. Rommel was an ambitious man, exceptionally gifted militarily and deeply entangled in the system he served right up to the moment when Germany’s defeat became obvious.

His story is also inseparably bound up with the command apparatus of the Third Reich – the same one that operated in the camouflaged Hitler’s headquarters in Masuria. Rommel visited the Wolf’s Lair, received decorations and orders there, and his fate became intertwined with the drama of the plot of 20 July 1944, whose epicentre lay precisely in the Masurian forest near Gierłoż. To understand the phenomenon of “the Desert Fox”, one must trace his entire path – from a schoolboy in Württemberg to a field marshal whose name was known across the whole world.

Youth and the First World War – the making of Erwin Rommel

Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel was born on 15 November 1891 in Heidenheim an der Brenz, in the southern German Kingdom of Württemberg. He came from a middle-class family – his father was a mathematics teacher and a school headmaster, as was his grandfather. There was no military tradition in the Rommel family, and Erwin himself showed little interest in study as a child, preferring cycling and skiing. Only with time did he discover a talent for mathematics and technology.

Young Erwin Rommel in 1912

In 1910, at the age of eighteen, Rommel joined the 124th Württemberg Infantry Regiment as a cadet. The more prestigious cavalry and guard regiments were at that time reserved for those of noble or military descent, so the son of a teacher chose the infantry. It was a decision that shaped his entire later philosophy of command – Rommel always remained an infantryman at heart, valuing movement, surprise and direct command from the front line.

During the First World War Rommel served as a lieutenant on the Western Front, in Romania and in Italy. He displayed exceptional courage and a natural gift for leadership, which early on foreshadowed a great career. His most famous feat was a mountain assault on the Italian front, during the Battle of Caporetto in 1917, where with a small detachment he managed to force the surrender of a far more numerous enemy force. For this deed he received the order Pour le Mérite – the highest Prussian decoration for bravery, usually awarded to officers of much higher rank.

Rommel later set down his experiences from the First World War in the book Infantry Attacks (Infanterie greift an), published in 1937. The publication became a bestseller and a manual of tactics, and it also attracted the attention of Adolf Hitler, who was impressed both by the author’s wartime accomplishments and by his practical, offensive approach to combat. It was this very book that opened the doors of the highest circles of the Third Reich to Rommel.

The interwar years and Rommel’s early career – in the shadow of the Führer’s headquarters

After the end of the First World War, Rommel remained in the reduced army of the Weimar Republic (the Reichswehr), slowly climbing the hierarchy and gaining experience as an instructor and lecturer in tactics. The success of the book Infantry Attacks made his name recognisable in military and political circles. Rommel established a personal relationship with Hitler, which in the following years would weigh upon his entire career.

A little-known fact is that at the start of the Second World War Rommel commanded the unit responsible for the security of Hitler’s field headquarters. For a man accustomed to fighting on the front line this was a kind of disappointment – he served as commander of the Führer’s escort battalion during the Polish campaign in 1939. This experience, however, gave him invaluable insight into the workings of the Reich’s supreme command and direct contact with Hitler, which later resulted in his rapid promotion. This early proximity to the command apparatus links Rommel’s fate with the entire system of headquarters, in which the construction of the Wolf’s Lair was the next, Masurian stage.

Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

Rommel’s relationship with Hitler was clearly warm in this period. Rommel often bypassed the official chain of command and communicated directly with the Führer – which aroused envy and irritation among officers of the General Staff, such as Wilhelm Keitel and Alfred Jodl. After the success of the Polish campaign Rommel asked for command of a panzer division, and his request was granted, even though he had no prior experience with mechanised forces.

France 1940 – the “Ghost Division” and the birth of an armoured commander

In February 1940 Rommel took command of the 7th Panzer Division – one of the ten panzer divisions that took part in the lightning invasion of Belgium and France that began on 10 May 1940. Although he was a novice in the field of armoured warfare, he quickly mastered the principles of operating mechanised forces and applied them with extraordinary boldness.

Rommel’s division advanced at such speed that its own command and staffs often lost track of it – hence its nickname the “Ghost Division” (Gespensterdivision). No one, including the German high command, knew exactly where Rommel’s tanks were at any given moment. The general consistently commanded from the front line, exposing himself personally and forcing a pace that disrupted the French defence. This bold, dynamic method of command earned him, in less than a year, promotion to commander of a newly formed corps in North Africa. It was at this very time that the new map of wartime Europe was taking shape, which the blitzkrieg was reshaping month after month.

North Africa – the legend of “the Desert Fox”

In February 1941 Rommel arrived in North Africa as commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps – the German forces sent to aid the defeated Italians in Libya. Hitler’s original plan, Operation Sonnenblume (Sunflower), was purely defensive in character. Rommel, however, had his own ideas and almost immediately went on the offensive, breaking the orders of his nominal Italian superiors.

16 June 1942 –
Colonel General Rommel with his staff, about 46 km west of Tobruk

The North African desert became the scene of his greatest successes. Rommel scored swift victories over the British defences in Cyrenaica, encircled the coastal fortress of Tobruk, and in June 1942 routed the British in the Battle of Gazala and captured Tobruk. For these successes Hitler promoted him to field marshal – Rommel was at that time the youngest officer of that rank in the German army. It was in Africa that he gained his immortal nickname: “the Desert Fox” (Wüstenfuchs) – given to him by his enemies on account of his surprising, cunning attacks.

Rommel’s attitude towards the enemy was characteristic. His Afrika Korps was never accused of war crimes, and prisoners captured during the African campaign were – as was reported – treated humanely. Rommel ignored orders to kill Jewish soldiers, civilians and captured commandos. It was precisely this aspect of the African campaign that later became one of the pillars of the “Rommel myth” as a chivalrous, “clean” commander.

The Desert Fox Erwin Rommel in the Afrika Korps

Rommel’s successes, however, had their limits. In Hitler’s strategic thinking, North Africa was merely a secondary theatre of operations – the main front was the east and the war against the Soviet Union, which was launched by Operation Barbarossa. Rommel suffered from a chronic shortage of supplies, fuel and reinforcements. His tactical dominance was systematically neutralised by Allied logistical superiority. In October 1942 the British general Bernard Montgomery dealt the Afrika Korps a decisive defeat at El Alamein.

Rommel’s return to Europe and Army Group B

After the defeat at El Alamein and the Allied landings in Morocco and Algeria, the Axis position in Africa became untenable. Rommel conducted a brilliant retreat to Tunisia, after which he was recalled to Germany before the final capitulation of the German-Italian forces in Africa in May 1943. His chivalrous and skilful conduct of the campaign won him respect even among his opponents – Winston Churchill himself praised him in the House of Commons.

After a brief period of service in Italy, where he dealt with the defence of the north of the country, Rommel received a new, crucial assignment. At the end of 1943 he was entrusted with command of Army Group B and the preparation of the defence of the western coast of Europe against the expected Allied invasion. This was a task of enormous importance – the fate of the entire western front depended on its success.

Normandy and the Atlantic Wall – the last campaign

Rommel set about strengthening the Atlantic Wall with characteristic energy. He applied defensive techniques similar to those from Africa – he flooded vast areas behind the coast to prevent parachute drops and glider landings, and installed millions of mines and anti-landing obstacles. He often personally visited the soldiers at their positions to oversee the progress of the works.

Erwin Rommel in Europe

Rommel, however, was engaged in an internal dispute with the high command over defensive strategy. He wanted to concentrate the entire strength of the army directly on the beaches, in order to repel the Allies at the moment of landing – he was convinced that if the landing succeeded, the war would be lost. Hitler and some of the generals, however, preferred to let the Allies land and then carry out a massed counterattack. This dispute was not resolved before 6 June 1944, which weakened the German response to D-Day.

On 17 July 1944, just three days before the attempt on Hitler’s life, Rommel’s car was strafed by British aircraft and forced off the road. The field marshal sustained serious head injuries and was taken to hospital. This accident was of key importance for later events – Rommel was out of the game at the very moment when the conspirators were planning to make him one of the leading figures of a new government.

Rommel and the Wolf’s Lair – visits to Hitler’s headquarters

The Wolf’s Lair – the headquarters in Gierłoż in Masuria – was from 1941 the main place of Hitler’s residence and the centre of command of the entire war machine of the Third Reich. It was here that daily military conferences were held, foreign guests were received and the highest decorations were awarded. Erwin Rommel, as one of the most famous commanders of the Reich, belonged to the circle of people who visited this camouflaged forest fortress.

Erwin Rommel with Adolf Hitler

One of the documented visits by Rommel to the Wolf’s Lair took place on 21 March 1942 – during the period of his greatest successes in North Africa. Visits to the headquarters were for the field marshal an opportunity for direct talks with Hitler, for receiving decorations and for presenting the situation on the African front. Occasional visits to the headquarters were part of the ritual of power of the Third Reich – Hitler willingly appeared at the side of his most popular general, and propaganda diligently exploited this.

It is worth emphasising the paradox connected with Rommel’s relationship with the system of headquarters. At the start of the war he commanded the security of Hitler’s field headquarters, and a few years later he was a guest at the Wolf’s Lair as a recognised field marshal. His fate was thus intertwined with the entire system of command centres of the Third Reich – from the role of guard to the role of honoured guest. It was in these very places that decisions were made which sent millions of people to the front and towards extermination.

The most dramatic connection between Rommel and the Wolf’s Lair concerns, however, the events of the summer of 1944. It was precisely in the Masurian headquarters, on 20 July 1944, that the attempt on Hitler’s life took place – and Rommel’s name came up in the investigation that followed. Although the field marshal himself was never at the Wolf’s Lair on the day of the assassination attempt (he was lying wounded in hospital at the time), his connections with the conspirators weighed upon his fate.

The 20 July plot and the forced suicide

Rommel’s attitude towards the plot of 20 July 1944 remains the subject of dispute among historians. It is certain that the field marshal was disillusioned with Hitler and convinced that the war was lost. As early as 1942 his notes reveal a growing aversion towards the leader of the Reich, whom he accused of detachment from reality and indifference towards the fate of soldiers and civilians. From 1943 Rommel maintained contacts with dissidents opposed to Hitler.

Most historians agree, however, that Rommel did not support the killing of Hitler – he was rather in favour of arresting him and removing him from power, or forcing him to negotiate. The conspirators planned to make him President of the Reich after the overthrow of the Führer, but Rommel took no active part in the planning of the assassination attempt itself. His role was peripheral – he sympathised with the plot, but he was neither its central figure nor was he prepared for decisive action.

When the plot failed, Hitler unleashed a ruthless investigation. Thousands of people were arrested and executed – according to some sources about 7,000 suspects were detained, and nearly 5,000 were executed, including three field marshals, 19 generals and many senior officers. Rommel’s name surfaced during the interrogations, probably from the testimony of one of those detained. The field marshal found himself in mortal danger.

Because Rommel was a national hero, Hitler did not want a public trial that might damage morale. On 14 October 1944, two generals – Wilhelm Burgdorf and Ernst Maisel – arrived at Rommel’s home in Herrlingen near Ulm with an ultimatum from Hitler himself. Rommel faced a terrible choice: a public trial before the People’s Court (and, in consequence, the persecution of his family) or suicide, in exchange for which his wife Lucie and his son Manfred were promised to be spared and his reputation preserved.

Erwin Rommel – funeral

Rommel chose death. He said farewell to his wife and his fifteen-year-old son, then got into the car with the generals and swallowed a capsule of cyanide. “To die at the hands of one’s own people is hard,” he is said to have told his son before departing. The Nazi regime lied to the public about the cause of his death: officially it was announced that the field marshal had died as a result of injuries sustained during the strafing in Normandy. Hitler gave Rommel a state funeral with full military honours and declared a day of national mourning – cynically concealing that it was he who had passed the death sentence.

Field Marshal Rommel’s last journey. In a town in Württemberg (Ulm) on Wednesday afternoon, in a solemn state ceremony, the German people bade farewell to one of the most important commanders of this war, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, bearer of the highest German award for bravery. Numerous high representatives of the Wehrmacht, the Party and the State appeared to pay the deceased their last respects. Field Marshal von Rundstedt, in a memorial speech, honoured the great merits of the dead marshal and, on the Führer’s orders, laid a wreath upon his coffin.

Historical assessment – hero, victim, or loyal servant of the regime?

The figure of Rommel is one of the most contested issues in the historiography of the Second World War. For decades the so-called “Rommel myth” (Rommel-Mythos) prevailed – the image of an apolitical, chivalrous commander, a genius of tactics, who waged a “clean war” and ultimately fell victim to Hitler’s tyranny. This image began to take shape as early as 1941, largely thanks to Nazi propaganda itself, which turned Rommel into a star.

Paradoxically, after the war it was the Allies who sustained the legend of the “good German”. In the period of the Cold War and the remilitarisation of West Germany, the Rommel myth proved politically useful. Rommel became a patron of the Bundeswehr, and his former subordinates, such as Hans Speidel, played key roles in the rebuilding of the West German army and its integration with NATO. The image of an honourable officer who opposed Hitler facilitated reconciliation and cooperation.

Modern historians treat the “Rommel myth” far more critically. They do not question his military talent or his gradual break with Hitler, but they draw attention to several uncomfortable facts. Firstly – Rommel’s career was built on Hitler’s patronage, and his fame stemmed largely from Nazi propaganda, and not solely from his actual achievements. Secondly – his alleged apoliticism is today called into question; there is ambiguity as to the depth of his attachment to Nazi ideology.

On the other hand, it must be honestly noted that there are arguments in Rommel’s favour. His Afrika Korps was never accused of war crimes, and Rommel ignored orders to murder prisoners, commandos and Jewish soldiers. Unlike many commanders operating on the Eastern Front, where the Wehrmacht committed mass crimes, Rommel’s African campaign was relatively free of acts of this kind. This distinction is of significant importance in assessing his figure.

Was Rommel a war criminal? Formally no – he was never accused or tried for war crimes, and his name did not appear at the Nuremberg trials in the role of a defendant. The most balanced assessment of modern historiography runs roughly as follows: Rommel was neither a hero of the resistance nor an ideological monster. He was a talented, ambitious professional officer who loyally served a criminal regime up to the moment when defeat became inevitable – and only then, too late, did he begin to consider opposition. This assessment is less dramatic than the myth, but probably closer to the truth.

The discussion about Rommel is part of a broader dispute about the role of the Wehrmacht in the crimes of the Third Reich and about the way in which post-war memory shapes the image of Nazi commanders. The myth of the “clean Wehrmacht” – an army supposedly uninvolved in crimes, in contrast to the SS – has been largely debunked by modern researchers, and the figure of Rommel is one of the key points of this debate.

Conclusion – the complex legacy of “the Desert Fox”

Erwin Rommel remains one of the most fascinating and ambiguous figures of the Second World War. His tactical talent is undeniable – from the “Ghost Division” in France to the daring desert campaigns, Rommel proved himself a master of manoeuvre and surprise. At the same time his career was inseparably bound up with the Nazi regime, which raised him to the summit and ultimately condemned him to death.

His fate was also intertwined with the history of Hitler’s headquarters at the Wolf’s Lair – from commanding the security of the field headquarters at the start of the war, through visits to the Masurian fortress at the peak of his career, to his dramatic connection with the plot of 20 July 1944. Rommel’s story shows how complicated the fates of people entangled in the machinery of a totalitarian state can be – even those who retained some remnants of a chivalrous code of honour.

For those visiting the ruins of the Wolf’s Lair, the figure of Rommel is a reminder that this place was not merely a concrete fortress, but a stage on which the fates of the most important commanders of the era were played out. To better understand the context of these events, it is worth reaching for the bibliography and glossary available on the site, as well as getting to know the profiles of other figures who visited the Masurian headquarters.

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about Erwin Rommel

Who was Erwin Rommel?

Erwin Rommel (1891–1944) was a German field marshal of the Second World War, the most famous commander of the Wehrmacht. He earned the nickname “the Desert Fox” for his command of the Afrika Korps in North Africa, and later directed the defence of the Atlantic Wall in Normandy. He was forced to commit suicide after being linked to the plot against Hitler.

Where did the nickname “the Desert Fox” come from?

The nickname “the Desert Fox” (German Wüstenfuchs) was given to Rommel by his opponents during the North African campaign. It referred to his surprising, cunning attacks and his brilliant manoeuvre tactics in the desert, which he conducted as commander of the Afrika Korps from 1941.

Did Erwin Rommel visit the Wolf’s Lair?

Yes. As one of the most famous commanders of the Reich, Rommel visited the Wolf’s Lair in Masuria. One documented visit took place on 21 March 1942, at the peak of his successes in North Africa. The visits served for talks with Hitler, the receiving of decorations and the presentation of the front-line situation.

Did Rommel command the security of Hitler’s headquarters?

Yes. At the start of the Second World War, during the Polish campaign in 1939, Rommel commanded the battalion responsible for the security of Hitler’s field headquarters. For an experienced infantry officer this was a disappointment, but it gave him close contact with the Führer, which contributed to his later promotion to commander of a panzer division.

How did Erwin Rommel die?

Rommel was forced to commit suicide on 14 October 1944. After his name was linked to the plot against Hitler of 20 July 1944, two generals arrived at his home in Herrlingen with an ultimatum: trial or suicide. Rommel swallowed a capsule of cyanide to spare his family. The regime concealed the true cause of death and gave him a state funeral.

What role did Rommel play in the plot against Hitler on 20 July 1944?

Rommel’s role was peripheral. He sympathised with the conspirators and was disillusioned with Hitler, but most historians believe he did not support killing the Führer – he favoured arresting him or removing him from power. The conspirators planned to make him President of the Reich, but he took no part in planning the assassination attempt at the Wolf’s Lair itself. On the day of the attempt he was lying wounded in hospital after being strafed in Normandy.

Was Erwin Rommel a war criminal?

Formally no. Rommel was never accused or tried for war crimes. His Afrika Korps was not accused of crimes, and Rommel ignored orders to murder prisoners, commandos and Jewish soldiers. Modern historians assess him as a talented officer who loyally served a criminal regime, but not as a war criminal.

What is the “Rommel myth”?

The “Rommel myth” (Rommel-Mythos) is a term used by historians for the idealised image of Rommel as an apolitical, chivalrous commander waging a “clean war” and a victim of Hitler’s tyranny. The myth began with Nazi propaganda in 1941, and after the war it was sustained by the Allies during the Cold War. Modern historians treat it critically.

What were Rommel’s greatest military successes?

Rommel’s most important successes were: the assault at Caporetto in the First World War (the order Pour le Mérite), the daring march of the 7th Panzer Division through France in 1940, and the African campaign of 1941–1942 – the capture of Tobruk and the victory in the Battle of Gazala, for which he was promoted to field marshal.

Did Rommel write a book?

Yes. In 1937 Rommel published the book Infantry Attacks (Infanterie greift an), based on his experiences from the First World War. The publication became a bestseller and a manual of infantry tactics, and it also attracted the attention of Adolf Hitler, which contributed to his further career.

Sources and literature

• Encyclopaedia Britannica – Erwin Rommel (biography, career, death)
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Erwin Rommel (historical assessment and the Rommel myth)
• Wikipedia – Rommel myth (historiographical analysis of the Rommel myth)
• HISTORY – Erwin Rommel: Biography, Facts & Death (course of his military career)
• Hitler Archive – Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze (calendar of visits to the headquarters, including Rommel on 21 March 1942)