Erwin Rommel: Popular German General During World War II

Tommy Flynn

Mr. Collins

Western Tradition Period X

06 March 2017

Erwin Rommel Often known as the “desert fox” Erwin Rommel was a popular German general during World War II. This famous nickname came from his signature surprise attacks against his enemies and gained their respect quickly after a long string of success in the military. Soon after Rommel’s impressive victory against the British in the Libyan city of Tobruk, known as the battle of Gazala, Rommel was promoted to field marshal by German, Nazi party leader, Adolf Hitler. Rommel also gained a lot of popularity from leading his army from the front which is not common with generals at the time whatsoever. Rommel would become known as one of Adolf Hitler’s most successful, and by

Rommel’s family had no ties to the military, but as he grew older Rommel’s father urged him to join the military and on July 19, 1910 he became a member of the Wuttemberg army. Then during World War I he served for two years in France and in September of 1914, “while facing three French soldiers alone with an empty rifle, he was wounded by a ricocheting rifle bullet in the left thigh; his actions during this engagement won him the Iron Cross Second Class” (WWII Database). This plus other significant actions during the war lead to him being promoted to Lieutenant and then was put as company commander in the mountain infantry battalion. This began his long resume of leadership roles in various wars, and battles for the German military. Rommel was transferred to Italy after recovering from a bullet wound in his arm and this is where he was transformed into a great leader. “He constantly inspired his men to put forth their best efforts, whether it was to trek through thick fresh snow with full load of equipment on their backs, or it was scaling cliff faces that daunted even the most skilled mountaineer. It was this ability to inspire that allowed him to achieve spectacular victories against the Italians” (WWII Database). In 1916 Rommel took a brief leave from the war and married Lucia Maria Mollin who he had met earlier in school. She would

Rommel was at home in October 1944 recovering from the injuries he suffered in the car explosion when he received a phone call from Nazi officials asking him to report so he could receive his next assignment. When he received the call he was not sure if being asked to report was actually to receive his next assignment or if it was about the assassination attempt of Hitler. He figured reporting in person would not be smartest idea because he would practically be handing himself over to the Gestapo. Rommel refused to go to Berlin to report saying that he could not go because of his health condition. The German officials agreed that they would send German Generals Wilhelm Burgdorf and Ernst Maisel to Rommel’s house with the details of his next assignment. Rommel knew the two Generals from his time as a General also and believed that they actually were bringing him the information on his new position. The Generals arrived at his house on October 14th, 1944 and Rommel brought them to the study of his house so that they could talk about his new position. Burgdorf did most of the talking and Maisel was there to serve as a witness for what was going to be talked about. Rommel soon realized that the Generals were not there to inform him of a new position, but to talk about Rommel’s involvement in