Atlantic Wall
Lays down 2 belts of mines 1000 yds deep along the Atlantic coast, 2 million mines
Role range: 1939-1945
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel Biography and Timeline — Page 6
Follow Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel through 223 dated historical records for Germany.
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
223Distinct records
6 of 6Page
1943–1944Years on this page
1943
1944
Commander of Army Group B
Appointed Commander of Army Group B
Commander of Army Group B
Appointed Commander of Army Group B to defend France from Allied invasion
Role range: 1939-1945
Invasion of France
Responsible for defending occupied France from Allied invasion
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
Arrives home hoping to convince Hitler to defend the Cotentin coast
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
Leaves his HQ & returns to Germany, convinced the Allies are not about to invade
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
Correcttly predicts the Allies will land near Cherbourg, Hitler does not agree
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
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
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
Learns of the invasion & returns to his HQ after celebrating his wifes birthday
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
To the east, Rommels nightmare had been realised, a continuous British-Canadian beachhead, 20km (12 miles) across and up to 10km (six miles) deep
Role range: 1939-1945
Withdrawal from Bayeux
German forces withdrew from Bayeux to concentrate their defence around Caen.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1943-1944
Capture of Bayeux
The Germans abandon Bayeux
Role range: 1939-1945
Operation Overlord
Arrives at the front in Caen
Role range: 1939-1945
Battle of Caen
Rommel returned to the Normandy front and reinforced the effort to hold Caen against Allied attacks.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1943-1944
Operation Overlord
Withdrawal from Normandy is turned down by Hitler. Hitler orders a counterattack from Bayeux
Role range: 1939-1945
Atlantic Wall
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
Role range: 1939-1945
Coup
Rommel agrees to support the plot to overthrow Hitler but not to assassinate him
Role range: 1939-1945
Plot
Rommel agrees to support the plot to overthrow Hitler but not to assassinate him
Role range: 1939-1945
Health of Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel
Rommels staff car is attacked by fighter bombers & he is seriously injured
Plot
Under interrogation a suspect mentions Rommels name with the attempt on Hitler's life
Role range: 1939-1945
Assassination of Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel
The Gestapo give Rommel the choice of a trial or suicide disguised as a heart attack. Rommel decides to poison himself
Role range: 1939-1945
Death of Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel
Death of Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel, forced to take poison
Role range: 1939-1945
Suicide
The Gestapo give Rommel the choice of a trial or suicide disguised as a heart attack
Role range: 1939-1945
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.