10 facts about erwin Rommel

fact 1

• Rommel was an infantryman first. In WW1 Rommel was enlisted as an infantryman. He was rejected at first, but then tried again and made it.

Fact 2

• The Army loved him.
• When he was a cadet, his commandant described him as : "firm in character,with immense willpower and a keen enthusiasm. Orderly, punctual, conscientious and comradely. Mentally well endowed, a strict sense of duty…a useful soldier.”

Fact 3

• Rommel served in WW1 and was wounded 3 times, once in the thigh, again in the left arm, and lastly in the shoulder while serving time in Romania, Italy, and the Western Front.

Fact 4

• Rommel as a child was always driven to earn Germany's highest honour : The Pour le Merite ( or Blue Max)
• He earned the medal at the Battle of Caporetto, when he led an assault to flank the Italians. He successfully captured Mount Matajur, which flanked thousands of Italian troops.

Fact 5

• Hitler liked Rommel, a lot.
• In 1937, Hitler was impressed by the book "Infantry Tactics", which was written by Rommel. From there Rommel was appointed as the commander of Hitler's bodyguards during the invasion of Poland, and later the commander of the new panzer divisons.

Fact 6

• Rommel had a close call in France.
• While in France Rommel fought the British for the first time. At Arras the retreating British counterattacked catching the German blitz off guard. Rommel was close enough that his aide was killed by shell fire just a few feet from Rommel.

Fact 7

• In the early years of the war Rommel had great success in France
• In only a week, Rommel had marched his 7th Panzer division from the France - German border to the English channel covering 200 miles. In that time he captured 100,000 troops.

fact 8

• Rommel suffered from depression.
• During the African campaign he wrote to his wife Lucie saying : "this means the end. You can imagine what kind of mood I’m in… The dead are lucky, it’s all over for them.”

fact 9

• Rommel won his last victory in a hospital bed.
• the Allies tried to capture the strategic city of Caen Rommel’s defensive preparations held them at bay causing heavy casualties, Rommel meanwhile was recuperating after being seriously injured when his car was strafed by Allied aircraft.

fact 10

• The Valkyrie
• Rommel was in a group of conspirators that attempted to assassinate Hitler. The conspirators were all killed besides Rommel. Rommel was given the option of suicide in return for his families safety.