In mid to late August Rommel was officially relieved of his command. His chief of staff was also dismissed but was not given a reason. The reason would soon become clear with his arrest on September 4th, he was after all a conspirator. Rommel knew that he would certainly be implicated and began to become worried. During his frequent walks with his son Manfred, Rommel not only armed himself, but also his son.
On October 7th, Rommel received a message asking him to report to Berlin via a special train. When Rommel inquired as to the reason of his summons, he was simply told that it was about his future employment in the Reich. On October 11th, a Major by the name of Streicher visited Rommel, and Rommel told him of how he thought that Hitler wanted him dead. Major Streicher was not the only one that Rommel told his story to. Anyone who came to visit him during the next days would hear about Rommel s suspicions. On October 14th, two generals name Burgdorf and Maisel arrived at Rommel s home. An interrogation ensued for over 45 minutes, questioning his involvement with the conspiracy.
Previously Rommel had talked with a General named Speidel about capturing Hitler, but never about killing him. Rommel only talked about the plight of the soldiers, and that the war should end. He actually voiced his opinion on overthrowing Hitler, but never about killing him. He thought that this would make Hitler a martyr to the German people, and no peace could be pursued. The war would be fought for Hitler s memory, and Rommel thought that it would be self-defeating to kill him. Speidel himself admitted only to knowing about a plot to overthrow Hitler, but he did not know any of the details. The most damaging evidence to Rommel s case came from a Colonel named Caesar von Hofacker. Hofacker told a colleague that he had informed Rommel and Speidel of the coming coup, and Rommel had said that he was content to play his own part to bring the plan to success. Another interpretation was handed down by Speidel who said that Hofacker told him that he gave Rommel that response, when asked if he would help in the coup. Either way, Rommel could not live after allegedly saying these things with two witnesses. Rommel was presented with an ultimatum.
There were two actions that the Generals made available to Rommel. They could either take him with them back to Berlin, where he would be tried for high treason with repercussions on his family or he could take the officer s way. In the latter case he would be given a state funeral, his family would not be penalized, and his death would be proclaimed as natural. Rommel s choice was clear.
Rommel left the General s company to see his family and friends for the last time. He told Lucie that he had been given a choice, by Hitler s order, suicide or to appear before a people s court. He also told her about the evidence that they used against him, and no matter how circumstantial, the Fuhrer s life was in danger, and all those who opposed him should be dealt with. Then his son Manfred arrived, and he too heard Rommel s story. The family said their goodbyes. He had already made up his mind and his choice would keep his family safe.
Hitler gave him a full military funeral as was promised, with von Rundstedt replacing Hitler in his stead. Rundstedt spoke of Rommel s career and exploits, and he claimed, His heart belonged to the Fuhrer. His heart belonged to the Fatherland, Germany, not to Hitler. His wife Lucie watched in agony and a sense of shock as those who attended knew the truth but still grieved her husband. Rundstedt, obviously knowing about the truth and loathing it, could only say a few words to the widow and son. He left promptly. Germany would lose the war just as Rommel and virtually all the German Generals and Field Marshals had thought. Hitler would self inflict his end by suicide just as Rommel did, with the exception of a pistol being also used by Hitler. Hitler, in his paranoia, had killed one of his best subordinates, and so ended the chapter of history dominated by the Desert Fox (The Rommel Papers, 1982).
Works Cited
Fraser, David. Knight s Cross: A Life of Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. New York:
HarperCollins, 1994
Goebbels, Joseph. The Goebbels Diaries, 1939-1941. New York: G.P. Putnam s Sons,
1983 (Trans. & ed. by Fred Taylor)
Liddell-Hart, B.H. The Rommel Papers. New York: DaCapo Press, 1982
No Author Cited. Rommel, Erwin. Microsoft Online Encarta Encyclopedia: Online
Version. 1997. http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=761573313
(30 April 2001).
No Author Cited. Rommel, Erwin. The Columbia Electronic Library: 6th Edition.
Nov. 1995. http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/11115.html (26 April 2001).