Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel Biography

Birth of Erwin von Rommel, Heidenheim near Ulm in Wurttemberg

Appointed Member of 124th Wurttemberg Regiment

Begins studies at the Royal Officer Cadet Academy

Appointed Lieutenant, 2nd after attending the Danzig War Academy

Appointed Member of 49th Field Artillery Regiment

Takes part in the battle for Bleid

Put in hospital with a leg injury for 3 months

Appointed Lieutenant

Appointed Lieutenant

Awarded the Iron Cross, 1st class

A 2nd leg wound forces him into hospital

Leads a raid which captures Mount Cosna from the Romanians

Rommel marries Lucie Mollin

Erwin Rommel, who, as a junior officer, won the Pour le Merite for his exploits in the battle

Publication of "Infantry Attacks", brings Rommel into direct contact with Hitler

Publication of "Infantry Attacks", brings Rommel into direct contact with Hitler

Appointed Instructor to the Infantry School in Dresden

Appointed Commander of the 3rd battalion of the 17th Infantry Regiment

Appointed Major

Rommel meets Hitler for the 1st time during a secular Harvest Festival

Appointed Lieutenant Colonel

Given the task of improving discipline in the Hitler Youth. Given the task of absorbing the remainder of the SA into the army

Appointed Instructor at the War College in Potsdam

Publication of "Infantry Attacks"

Publication of "Infantry Attacks"

Appointed Commander of the Fuhrer Begleit Battalion, Hitler's personal security unit

Appointed Commander of the Fuhrer Begleit Battalion, Hitler's personal security unit

Appointed Commander of Hitler's HQ for the occupation of Prague

Appointed Commander of Hitler's personal HQ on the outbreak of war

Appointed Commander of Hitler's HQ for the occupation of Prague

Appointed Colonel

Appointed Major General

Appointed Commander of the 7th Panzer Division with the rank of Major General

Appointed Commander of the 7th Panzer Division with the rank of Major General

Appointed Commander of the 7th Panzer Division with the rank of Major General

Leads right hand column of the 7th, "Ghost Division"

Rommels Div earns the name "the Ghost Division" because of its sudden appearences

Rommel's rapid advance helps split Allied forces and threatens communications supporting troops in Flanders.

The assault on the Maginot Line begins. Rommel crosses the border 30 miles south of Aachen

The assault on the Maginot Line begins

1st day, takes the high ground at Maspelt before moving on to the Espeler-Dorner line

The 7th Division crosses the Ourthe River

Crosses the River Meuse

The 7th Rifle Regiment crosses the Maas between Houx & Dinant

Strikes out towards the Channel ports via Peronne & Cambrai

Begins the "German pocket" which will cut the Allied forces in two

Rommel arrives at the River Meuse near Dinant

The 7th Div is the 1st German unit to cross the River Meuse

Advances as far as Avesnes

Rommel captures Clairfay on the Maginot Line

Advances as far as Le Cateau

Captures the Landrecies bridge, a crossing point acros the River Sambre into France

Moves westward in the direction of the River Sambre

Captures the Sambre Bridge at Berlimont & joins the 7th & 5th Panzers

Rommel captures Cambrai, 12,000 enemy troops are taken

Rommel engages the British with 88-mm anti-tank guns. 5 British Brigades stop the SS Totenkopf & manage to create a retreat to Dunkirk

Rommel reaches La Basee Canal but Hitler halts the Panzers advance on Dunkirk

Rommel crosses the River Scarpe

Appointed Commander of the 5th Panzer Division

Awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, 1st divisional commander so honoured

The 7th cuts the main Lille-Armentieres Road

The Battle for Flanders is successfully concluded

The French First Army surrenders

The French First Army ceases organised resistance and passes into German control.

The French First Army surrenders

Hitler visits Rommel, Rommel is ordered to accompany Hitler on his front-line tour

Rommels 7th Panzer Div crosses the River Somme

Rommels 7th Panzer Div crosses the River Seine

The operation is redirected at the Weygand line protecting the heart of France

Rommels 7th Panzer Div reaches St Valery

Captures Cherbourg, the last major operation carried out by the 7th in France in 1940

Captures Cherbourg, the last major operation carried out by the 7th in France in 1940

Rommels 7th Panzer Div reaches the Cotentin Peninsular to capture Cherbourg

Rommels 7th Panzer Div advances into Cherbourg

Rommels 7th Panzer Div enters Cherbourg

Rommels 7th Panzer Div enters Cherbourg

Captures the Agedabia Wells opening the way for an advance into Cyrenaice

Captures Bardia

Captures Halfaya & uses it as a springboard into Egypt

Rommel occupies Mechili

Captures Sollum

Appointed Commander of the Afika Korps

2 mechanized divisions are sent to aid the Italians in Libya

Appointed Commander in Chief in Libya

Appointed Commander in Chief in Libya

Appointed Commander of the Afrika Korps

Appointed Commander of the Afrika Korps

Appointed Lieutenant General

Appointed Lieutenant General

Lands the Afrika Korps in Libya to support the Italians

Lands the Afrika Korps in Libya to support the Italians

German troops under Rommel are sent to assist the Italians in North Africa

The Afrikakorps is based on Adolf Hitler's personal choice of Erwin Rommel as its Commander. Appointed Commander of the Afrika Korps

Arrives in North Africa to support Italian forces and begins operations that eventually threaten Egypt and the Suez Canal.

Sends 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion to find how close Wavells army is to Tripoli

Rommel lands on African soil in Libya & takes over control of the Afrika Korps

Rommel lands on African soil in Libya & takes over control of the Afrika Korps

Besieges Tobruk, seeking to open the route east toward Egypt and the Suez Canal.

Recaptures Benghazi from the Allies

Rommel occupies Derna

Wins the battle but fails to capture the deep sea port of Tobruk

Begins to fight for Bardia, 60 miles east of Torbruk

Rommel begins to attack Tobruk

Rommel captures Bardia

Ordered to consolidate on the Egyptian border & concentrate on capturing Tobruk

The British are driven out of Halfaya Pass

Reinforced by the 1fifth panzer division recaptures Halfaya Pass

The Eighth Panzer Regiment destroys 60 British tanks

Failed Btitish attempt on the German held pass south the Libya-Cyrenaica border

The Western Desert Force loses 200 tanks. Orders a general assault to destroy the British around Halfaya

The Panzer Group controls the Afrikakorps plus some additional German units that were sent to Africa, as well as two corps of Italian units. During the summer of 1941 OKW and OKH enlarge the command structure in Africa by creating a new headquarters called Panzer Group Africa (Panzer Group Africa)

Partially defeats the British 7th Armoured Division in an attempt to recapture Tobruk

The Panzer Group controls the Afrikakorps plus some additional German units that were sent to Africa, as well as two corps of Italian units

The Panzer Group controls the Afrikakorps plus some additional German units that were sent to Africa, as well as two corps of Italian units. During the summer of 1941 OKW and OKH enlarge the command structure in Africa by creating a new headquarters called Panzer Group Africa (Panzer Group Africa)

Panzer Group Africa is activated with Rommel in command, and command of the Afrika Korps SS turned over to Ludwig Cruwell

Panzer Group Africa is activated with Rommel in command, and command of the Afrika Korps SS turned over to Ludwig Cruwell

Panzer Group Africa is activated with Rommel in command, and command of the Afrika Korps SS turned over to Ludwig Cruwell

Panzer Group Africa is activated with Rommel in command, and command of the Afrika Korps SS turned over to Ludwig Cruwell

Reaches the frontier causing great confusion among the Allied Eighth Army. Breaks out from Tobruk to the Egyptiann border

1st day of the battle to cover the tracks of the Eighth Armys withdrawal from Tobruk

The attack on the British fails. Evacuates the eastern Tobruk perimeter to attack the British at Bir el Gobi

Withdraws to Gazala & Tobruk is relieved by the Allies

Defeats the II US Corps in Tunisia

Defeats the II US Corps in Tunisia

The Allies recapture Bardia

The Allies are forced back to Agedabia

Agedabia is captured by the Germans

Agedabia is captured by the Germans

The Eighth Army is forced to withdraw to the Gazala line

The Allies evacuate Dernia & Rommel stops between Mechili & the coast

Completes the capture of Cyrenaica

Rommel sends his armour south of Bir-Hakeim to outflank the British

Commences the invasion of Libya

Rommel recaptures Bardia for the 2nd time

Captures Bir-Hakeim

The Allies capture Bardia

Captures Benghazi

Captures Bir-Hakeim

Captures Gazala by destroying 250-300 British tanks

The Allies capture Bardia

Appointed Field Marshal after the Capture of Tobruk

Appointed Field Marshal after the Capture of Tobruk

Captures Tobruk then plans to move onto the Suez Canal

Captures Tobruk then plans to move onto the Suez Canal

Captures Tobruk then plans to move onto the Suez Canal

Captures Tobruk then plans to move onto the Suez Canal

Captures Tobruk and drives toward Egypt, creating the greatest Axis threat to the Suez Canal.

Rommel captures Mersa Matruh

Rommel captures Mersa Matruh

Rommel captures Mersa Matruh

Rommel reaches El Alamein, the Axis army's most advanced position in Egypt.

Attacks at El Alamein after reaching Egypt, but is stopped before he can advance toward the Suez Canal.

Auchinleck breaks up attacks by exhausted German armour on Ruweisat Ridge during the First Battle of El Alamein.

Attacks the Alam Halfa line in a final attempt to break through toward the Nile Delta and the Suez Canal.

Rommel attacks south of El Alamein at Alam Halfa, attempting to renew the Axis advance toward Suez.

Rommel fails to break through the British line south of El Alamein during the Battle of Alam Halfa.

Rommel's renewed attack near Alam Halfa is contained by the British defence.

Rommel calls off the Alam Halfa attack after heavy losses in men, tanks, vehicles and guns.

Rommel is forced to retreat after the failure of the Axis attack at Alam Halfa.

Commands Axis forces at El Alamein and fails to break through to the Nile Delta and the Suez Canal.

The British Eighth Army opens the offensive at El Alamein while Georg Stumme commands Axis forces in Rommel's absence.

Returns from Germany to command Panzer Army Africa during the Second Battle of El Alamein.

Rommel's armour is badly reduced during the Second Battle of El Alamein while Hitler forbids withdrawal.

The Afrika Korps is reduced to 114 tanks but Hitler orders that they must hold its ground

Bernard Montgomery launches an attack on the Deutsches Afrika Korps at Kidney Ridge

Bernard Montgomery launches an attack on the Deutsches Afrika Korps at Kidney Ridge

Rommel captures Tobruk. Bernard Montgomery launches an attack on the Deutsches Afrika Korps at Kidney Ridge

Rommel captures Tobruk

Rommel captures Tobruk. Bernard Montgomery launches an attack on the Deutsches Afrika Korps at Kidney Ridge

Rommel begins withdrawing after Montgomery's forces break the Axis position at El Alamein.

Rommell decides to withdraw from Tobruk, Hitler forces Rommel to stay. Bernard Montgomery launches an attack on the Deutsches Afrika Korps at Kidney Ridge

Rommell decides to withdraw from Tobruk, Hitler forces Rommel to stay

The Axis army is defeated at El Alamein and retreats westward across Libya.

Begins the retreat from El Alamein after the Axis line is broken.

The Axis troops are forced to rereat

The British recapture Bardia

The Axis loss of Tobruk follows the retreat from El Alamein and weakens Rommel's North African position.

British forces recapture Tobruk after the Axis retreat following the Second Battle of El Alamein.

OKW upgrades its presence in Africa by creating the XC Army Corps in Tunisia & creating a new 5th Panzer Army headquarters under the command of Colonel General Hans-Jurgen von Arnim

Given the Allied air supremacy (12,000 Allied aircraft against 300 Luftwaffe fighters booby-trapped stakes known as Rommelspargel (Rommels asparagus) are set up on likely landing grounds to deter airborne landings

In addition to fresh units, von Rundstedt also received a new subordinate, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel.

Revitalises the defenders, who laboured to improve the defences of the entire coastline, steel obstacles are laid at the high-water mark on the beaches, concrete bunkers and pillboxes constructed, and low-lying areas flooded.

Rommel had recognized that for all their propaganda value, the Atlantic Wall fortifications covered only the ports themselves, the beaches between were barely defended, and the Allies could land there and capture the ports from inland.

Rommel originally intended only to make a tour of inspection of the Atlantic Wall, after reporting to Hitler, Rommel requested command of the defenders of northern France, Belgium and The Netherlands.

Lays down 2 belts of mines 1000 yds deep along the Atlantic coast, 2 million mines

Appointed Commander of Army Group B to defend Northern Italy from Allied landings

Appointed Commander of Army Group B to defend Northern Italy from Allied landings

Given the Allied air supremacy (12,000 Allied aircraft against 300 Luftwaffe fighters booby-trapped stakes known as Rommelspargel (Rommels asparagus) are set up on likely landing grounds to deter airborne landings

Given the Allied air supremacy (12,000 Allied aircraft against 300 Luftwaffe fighters booby-trapped stakes known as Rommelspargel (Rommels asparagus) are set up on likely landing grounds to deter airborne landings

Rommel tries to halt the Eighth 200 miles east of Tripoli but retreats to Tripoli

The Panzer Army Africa, (now called the German-Italian Panzer Army,) is redesignated as the Italian First Army and put under the command of Italian general Giovanni Messe, while Rommel is placed in command of a new Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika)

The Panzer Army Africa, (now called the German-Italian Panzer Army,) is redesignated as the Italian First Army and put under the command of Italian general Giovanni Messe, while Rommel is placed in command of a new Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika)

The Panzer Army Africa, (now called the German-Italian Panzer Army,) is redesignated as the Italian First Army and put under the command of Italian general Giovanni Messe, while Rommel is placed in command of a new Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika)

The Panzer Army Africa, (now called the German-Italian Panzer Army,) is redesignated as the Italian First Army and put under the command of Italian general Giovanni Messe, while Rommel is placed in command of a new Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika)

The Panzer Army Africa, (now called the German-Italian Panzer Army,) is redesignated as the Italian First Army and put under the command of Italian general Giovanni Messe, while Rommel is placed in command of a new Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika)

The Panzer Army Africa, (now called the German-Italian Panzer Army,) is redesignated as the Italian First Army and put under the command of Italian general Giovanni Messe, while Rommel is placed in command of a new Army Group Africa (Heeresgruppe Afrika)

Leaves North Africa after the Axis withdrawal westward, ending his direct threat to Egypt and Suez.

Rommel returns to Germany. Retreats to the Mareth Line within the Tunisian border. Persues Montgomerys Eighth Army but loses 52 tanks & is driven back

Mobilizes Army Group B which then control the north of Italy

Takes over the defence of north France & the construction of the Atlantic Wall

Field Marshal Rommel begins inspection of Atlantic Wall, Germany's coastal defence system stretching from Norway to the Spanish frontier

Appointed Commander of Army Group B

Appointed Commander of Army Group B to defend France from Allied invasion

Responsible for defending occupied France from Allied invasion

The number of mines along the French coast increases to 4 million. Completes the construction of "Rommels asparagus", mines set on poles. Adds a 3rd belt of mines 8,000 yds deep

Arrives home hoping to convince Hitler to defend the Cotentin coast

Leaves his HQ & returns to Germany, convinced the Allies are not about to invade

Correcttly predicts the Allies will land near Cherbourg, Hitler does not agree

Stays in Herrlingen to celebrate his wifes 50th birthday. Rommel is informed by General Spiedel 7.30AM that Allied paratroopers have landed. Rommel cancels his meeting with Hitler & returns to France

Learns of the invasion & returns to his HQ after celebrating his wifes birthday

To the east, Rommels nightmare had been realised, a continuous British-Canadian beachhead, 20km (12 miles) across and up to 10km (six miles) deep

German forces withdrew from Bayeux to concentrate their defence around Caen.

The Germans abandon Bayeux

Rommel returned to the Normandy front and reinforced the effort to hold Caen against Allied attacks.

Arrives at the front in Caen

Withdrawal from Normandy is turned down by Hitler. Hitler orders a counterattack from Bayeux

Rommel agrees to support the plot to overthrow Hitler but not to assassinate him

Rommel agrees to support the plot to overthrow Hitler but not to assassinate him

Rommels staff car is attacked by fighter bombers & he is seriously injured

Under interrogation a suspect mentions Rommels name with the attempt on Hitler's life

The Gestapo give Rommel the choice of a trial or suicide disguised as a heart attack. Rommel decides to poison himself

Death of Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, forced to take poison

The Gestapo give Rommel the choice of a trial or suicide disguised as a heart attack