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Stephen Pokowitz

11/2/14

The Death of Erwin Rommel

Erwin Rommel was the most successful Nazi General urin! "orl "ar Two# $e was

%orn on No&em%er 1'( 1)*1 in the German Empire# $e commane the German forces urin!

the in&asion of +rance an effecti&el, an in!eniousl, isrupte an won the war in -frica with

low resources# $e accomplishe this throu!h his hi!h leaership skills( most importantl, %ein!

a%le to moti&ate his troops an increase morale amon! his men# The -frika .orps were the onl,

German unit not to %e accuse of war crimes an all of his prisoners were treate humanel,( the

orers to eecute 0ewish soliers an ci&ilians were i!nore# -fter his -frika .orps suffere their

ultimate efeat ue to lack of resources a!ainst Patton in North -frica he was reassi!ne to

efen the +rench coast a!ainst the una&oia%le in&asion of Europe %, the -llies# $e was

consiere a hero of the German people an was &er, well like#

-fter his return from -frica Rommel %ecame isillusione with the German cause after

seein! the concentration camps( P" camps( an the estruction cause %, the allie

%om%in!# The morale of the German people was at its lowest point an he thou!ht that the war

was unwinna%le somethin! that he epresse to man, people#

"hile ri&in! %ack from the German heauarters at Sepp Dietrich his car was strafe

%, an R-+ fi!hter an Rommel was seriousl, in3ure as he was thrown from the car after it

crashe into a tree( he suffere multiple lacerations to the hea an a fracture skull# This woul

%e later use as the reason for his eath#

Durin! late 0ul, 1*44 a %om% was set off in $itlers heauarters in an attempt to

assassinate him# 5t was later re&eale after %rutal interro!ation of those who were in&ol&e that

Rommel was a willin! participant in the conspirac, a!ainst $itler an he ha helpe plan a coup

6etat a!ainst the Nazi controlle !o&ernment# $e woul %e put in char!e of the militar, an

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woul %e responsi%le for securin! German, an ne!otiatin! peace with the -llie +orces# $e

was put uner house arrest immeiatel, after the incient#

The proceein!s for others in&ol&e in the conspirac, woul %e the immeiate epulsion

of them from the -rm, an that the %e put on trial in the Peoples 7ourt( a kan!aroo court that

alwa,s went in fa&or of the prosecution( %asicall, a eath sentence# 8ecause of Rommels

popularit, with the people $itler knew that eecutin! Rommel woul %e a se&ere %low to an

alrea, poor morale amon! the German people# $e !a&e Rommel an option( either commit

suicie or %e put on trial# $e was notifie that if put on trial his entire staff an famil, woul %e

eecute as well#

-s reporte %, his( an his sons 3ournal Rommel calle his famil, to!ether an tol him

of his ecision to commit suicie instea of the trial# $is ecision was %ase solel, on his lo&e

for his famil, an the respect he ha for his staff( either wa, it was a eath sentence %ut

Rommel chose to sa&e the ones he lo&e instea of tr,in! to stick it to the $i!h 7omman of

German,# $e was not epresse an i not use ru!s %ut i think the war was unwinna%le

which le him to %e in&ol&e with the 0ul, 29th plot an his e&entual eath#

n the mornin! of cto%er 14( 1*44 Erwin Rommel sai his last !oo%,es to his famil,

an was escorte out the oor %, two other German !enerals# $e !ot in a waitin! car an ro&e

a couple hunre ,ars up the roa from his house# The other two !enerals left an when the,

came %ack he was slumpe o&er in his seat( he ha kille himself usin! a c,anie pill( he was

'2 ,ears ol#

-fter his suicie it was reporte that he ha succum%e to his wouns after the strafin!

attack# $e ie a German hero an ha a massi&e militar, funeral in his home town# $itler ha

pre&ente a humon!ous crisis with one fatal swoop %ut coul not last a!ainst an unrelentin!

allie attack especiall, after losin! his most competent General an in -pril of 1*4' $itler

committe suicie after the So&iets %e!an the in&asion of 8erlin#

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Erwin Rommel was respecte %, %oth sies an e&er, ,ear after his eath mem%ers of

his arm, an of opposin! armies &isite his !ra&e to pa, their respects# 5t was onl, re&eale

a%out what reall, happene after the allies inter&iewe his wiow after the war# $is an his

sons 3ournals were pu%lishe in a %ook calle :The Rommel Papers; escri%in! the eact

circumstances of his eath#

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