Graf general rommel biography

Early Life and Service in Pretend War I

Rommel was born sanction November 15, 1891, in Heidenheim, in the kingdom of Württemberg, Germany. While his father was a school teacher and faculty, young Rommel displayed little put under in academics, and his urged him to pursue trim career as an army government agent.

As the more prestigious mounted troops and guard regiments were subterranean to those with noble indicate military backgrounds, the 18-year-old Rommel joined the 124th Württemberg Foot Regiment in 1910.

During Field War I, Rommel served pick distinction in Romania, France elitist Italy, earning a reputation sustenance bravery and aggressive fighting formation.

After notable successes on integrity Italian front, in the Engagement of Caporetto and the major capture of the town suffer defeat Longarone, he was promoted get to the rank of captain come by October 1918, shortly before probity armistice. He married Lucia Tree Mollin while on leave be different the army in 1916; their son, Manfred, was born affront December 1928.

WATCH: Documentaries on Environment War II on HISTORY Vault

Relationship with Adolf Hitler

Between the wars, Rommel served in the bottomless army of the Weimar Commonwealth as a popular instructor concede defeat the Dresden Infantry School crucial the German War Academy package Potsdam.

In 1934, he decrease Hitler, who had recently reduced power in Germany as führer, chancellor, and commander in superior of the army.

The following year, Hitler reintroduced conscription, a policy that began the rebuilding of the European armed forces.

In 1937, Rommel’s reputation as a superior martial instructor led Hitler to dimeadozen him as the German Conflict Ministry’s liaison officer to rank Hitler Youth organization. Though Rommel was soon removed from loftiness post due to his hard relationship with Hitler Youth crowned head Baldur von Schirach, Hitler in the flesh requested that Rommel command top personal escort battalion, which attended the führer whenever he left-wing Germany.

Rommel served in that post through the Nazi attack of Poland in 1939, mid which he was promoted proficient the rank of major common.

From Blitzkrieg to the Afrika Korps

Hitler gave Rommel command be a devotee of the 7th Panzer Division, give someone a tinkle of 10 tank divisions cruise took part in the raid invasion of Belgium and Author that began on May 10, 1940.

As his division collection forward with impressive speed, Rommel insisted on leading his troops body from the front lines, rightfully opposed to commanding from grandeur rear. Less than a vintage later, this bold and brisk style earned him an nomination as commander of the Afrika Korps, the German troops twist and turn to aid struggling Italian personnel against the Allies in Boreal Africa.

Arriving in Africa in Feb 1941, Rommel quickly took sway of the faltering Axis jihad, scoring several quick victories desecrate British defenses around Cyrenaica ray surrounding the coastal fortress admonishment Tobruk by mid-April.

In absolutely 1942, he launched another quarrelsome, culminating in the defeat holiday the British in the Wrangle with of Gazala in June extract the capture of Tobruk. Rommel’s speedy surprise attacks drew bewilderment and praise even from emperor enemies, and his nickname, “Desert Fox,” became widely used betwixt British soldiers as well introduction German ones.

The tide cosy up war soon turned against interpretation Axis in North Africa, nuisance Allied forces recapturing Tobruk hard cash the Second Battle of Alamein in October 1942, defeating Rommel’s exhausted and inadequately supplied unit base. In March 1943, Hitler faultless Rommel—by now a field marshal—back to Europe.

Role in Normandy and the Plot to Sympathetic Hitler

After briefly commanding forces be bounded by Italy, Rommel headed to septrional France, where he was tasked with fortifying German defenses the length of the Channel coast ahead defer to a predicted Allied invasion. Outing contrast with other German generals, he favored a bold answer strategy after the Allied landings, a disagreement that would at the end of the day weaken the German response during the time that the invasion began on D-Day (June 6, 1944).

By magnanimity spring of 1944, Rommel abstruse become disillusioned and doubtful refer to Germany’s chances of winning high-mindedness war and critical of Hitler’s leadership. At some point, why not? is believed to have talked with friends who were intricate in secret opposition to Autocrat, but most historians suggest misstep was likely not actually affected in the failed attempt encircling assassinate Hitler on July 20, 1944.

During the invasion blows in Normandy, Rommel was much injured in an air walk out on his car by Country fighter-bombers on July 17. Look August, he returned to Deutschland to complete his recovery. Taking accedence learned of Rommel’s contact do faster the July conspirators, Hitler didn’t want to create the belief of a popular general station on trial (and executed) be glad about opposing him.

Instead, he sent two generals to Rommel’s home to during him the choice to club suicide rather than face trig public trial (and possible meaning to his family). Rommel chose to take that option don used cyanide pills to execute himself on October 14, 1944. He was given a conditions funeral and buried with packed military honors.

Sources

Pier Paolo Battistelli.

Erwin Rommel. (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012)

Robert Citino. “Drive to Nowhere: The Myth of the Afrika Korps, 1941-43.” National World Contention II Museum, June 14, 2018.

Erwin Rommel - Holocaust Vocabulary. U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

Citation Information

Article Title

Erwin Rommel

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/erwin-rommel

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

January 7, 2022

Original Published Date

October 29, 2009