Rommel and Heeresgruppe B

 

This photo is come from the private collection of Hauptmann Hellmuth Lang, Rommel's personal aide, and shows Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) sitting in a car on an inspection trip to the German stronghold Atlantikwall in the Western Front. The German Marshal wears a schirmmütze (visor hat) on his head and a ledermantel (leather coat) over the outer layers of his uniform. Around his neck hung the Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz medal, which was only given to the selected 27 people in the entire German Armed Forces. The cold air made him wear leather gloves, which he used to hold the interimstab (the marshal baton). This photo appears to be a Rommel's personal gift to his aide, which can be seen from the addition of his original signature. There is no information on when this photo was taken, but at least in the period between February to June 1944. The reason is that it was only during this period that Rommel wore a leather coat during his inspections, while in the previous two months - December 1943 and January 1944 - from his appointment as a Commander-in-Chief of Heersgruppe B, he preferred to wear the Generalmantel (general's coat).


From left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B) and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Kommandierender General I. SS-Panzerkorps) photographed on the invasion front in Normandy, 17 July 1944.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/
https://historical.ha.com/itm/autographs/non-american/erwin-rommel-signed-photograph/a/6149-49182.s