Rommel Chats with Ugo Cavallero

From left to right: Maresciallo d'Italia Ugo Cavallero (chief of the Italian High Command), Generalmajor Alfred Gause (Chef des Generalstabes Panzerarmee "Afrika"), and Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika"). No information about date or place, but surely in North Africa after June 1942. Cavallero had a rather conflicting relationship with Rommel, whose advance into Egypt after his success at the Battle of Gazala he opposed, advocating instead the planned invasion of Malta; his opinion, shared by Kesselring and Rintelen, was however discounted by Hitler and Mussolini.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugo_Cavallero
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2469114#p2469114

Rommel and Afrikakorps (Jim Haley Photo Collection)

 

Source:
Jim Haley photo collection

Marshal Baton Ceremony for Rommel

Original color portraits of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") which was taken by Hitler's personal photographer Heinrich Hoffmann on 30 September 1942 when Rommel was presented his marschallstab (Marshal baton) by Hitler at Neue Reichskanzlei, Berlin. These would be 100% agfacolor color 35mm slide film taken by Hoffmann. Then the agfacolor film would have been converted to the standard color printing process of the time. A lot of the rich colours and debt from the agfacolor film would have been lost in the printing process. Much after 1943 most of these portraits were all photographed using color film.

Source :
https://www.bpk-bildagentur.de/shop
https://www.ebay.ca/sch/i.html?_nkw=erwin+rommel&Brand=&_dcat=1
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/photos-and-paper-items-forum/13494062-rommel-postcard

Rommel with Artillerie-Regiment 33

German armored personnel carriers parked in the North African desert in June 1942, near Tobruk. The first halftrack on the right is a communication vehicle (leichter Funkpanzerwagen) Sd.Kfz. 250/3 "Greif" (WH number 937035), which served as a light command headquarters of Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika"). "Greif" is equipped with two radio stations: he large antenna belongs to a FuG 7 radio station with a range of up to 50 km. The smaller antenna is FuG 5 radio stations with a range of up to 5 km, which serves for communication between the machines within the unit. To the left of Rommel's command vehicle is an armored personnel carrier Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf.B. On the sides of the vehicle there is a design resembling a makeshift loop-type antenna and a large antenna, which suggests that this is also a communications vehicle (mittlerer Funkpanzerwagen) Sd. Kfz. 251/3 Ausf.B (possibly a field conversion of the usual Sd. Kfz. 251/1 into Sd. Kfz. 251/3). The last armored personnel carrier on the left is Sd. Kfz. 251/1 Ausf.S. The officer holding the map who chats with Rommel is Oberst Eduard Crasemann (Kommandeur Artillerie-Regiment 33 [motorisiert]). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Albrecht Heinrich Otto of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) "Afrika".

Source :
https://en.topwar.ru/135723-rommel-v-afrike.html
https://waralbum.ru/217895/

Rommel Interviewed After the Capture of Tobruk

Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") chattered away while being interviewed by Kriegsberichter Lutz Koch, who held a Beyer M 19b microphone close to his mouth, while the bildberichter behind them was busy recording moving images with an Arriflex 35mm camera. Behind Rommel can be seen a radio operator busy working using the AEG magnetophone "Tonschreiber d (Dora)" - which is the world's first portable magnetophone (magnetic recorder) - in a Horch Typ 40 mittlerer geländegängiger Personenkraftwagen (m.gl.Pkw) Kfz 15 vehicle. This photo was taken on June 22, 1942 when German troops had just captured Tobruk from the Allies. This coastal city in Libya has a very strategic role in the battles of North Africa, and its control makes the German people lulled in euphoria: the occupation of Egypt is only a matter of time, and after that is the unification of German troops from Russia and Africa in the Caucasus! This interview was broadcast live to Germany, and was heard by many, including Adolf Hitler and his associates. That same day the Führer - overwhelmed with joy - decided to give his favorite general an extraordinary promotion, from Generaloberst (Colonel-General) to Generalfeldmarschall (Fieldmarshal), a five-star rank with no official retirement!

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2015/05/foto-wawancara-tokoh-third-reich-dengan.html

Rommel's Visit to Italian Pavia Division

The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Ernst Alexander Zwilling (Propaganda-Kompanie Luftwaffe 7) on 12 February 1942, and it shows Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") with German and Italian officers, during his visit to the headquarters of Italian 17° Divisione Autotrasportabile "Pavia" (17th Motorised Division "Pavia") in El Agheila. In this occasion Rommel took the opportunity to talk to his Italian allies about the upcoming operational plans. This picture is also available in the book "Rommel's Italian Generals in North Africa" by Dr. Libro Di Zinno and Rudy D'Angelo, page 26. There the authors identify the individual as Generale di Brigata Michelangelo Nicolini, commander of the army artillery. He was in several pictures with Rommel. Unfortunately, Nicolini is one general the authors have noted in several other pictures as mis-identified. This greater focus on Nicolini could imply a better level of research, but that is only speculation. Most possible ID is Generale di Brigata Antonio Franceschini, commander of Pavia Division. On the photo it says Falzoni, it could have been a garbled version of Falconi and the officer Enzo Falconi. Only problem is that he was a colonel at the time and commander of the artillery regiment in the Ariete division. It is the only name and rank that comes close with the writing. For the German officers identification (apart from Rommel): fourth from right is Major Friedrich-Wilhelm von Mellenthin (Ic im Generalstab Panzerarmee "Afrika"). On his right is Oberleutnant Diekmann, Rommel's aide.

Source :
"Rommel's Italian Generals in North Africa 1941-1943" by Dr. Libro Di Zinno and Rudy D'Angelo
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-1982-0927-503,_Bei_El_Agheila,_Rommel_bei_italienischer_Division.jpg
https://www.ebay.de/itm/165715607163?hash=item26956b7e7b:g:EcEAAOSwroZjQX9O&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAkKGWZ%2FV0JYl6oJJMZZHEYs4HVsIW4FUrvDC0b1A%2Fq451cb593QTvf%2BRp6xl1luCrxyITWryw3J6r8QiaGIIb5pee4uv62X00WEvwfUIG%2BmySmXhV9oEWqLA%2Ff8%2Fh%2BdFAUgYmztz3Jp806dFikqbBiKkcnXSuAhU7sweiWDNEidOzU44PrZ5MHxmQJ7fTO7nsnA%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR9b7tpv7YA
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2435229#p2435229

Rommel with Unknown Ritterkreuzträger in North Africa

 

General der Panzertruppe Erwin Rommel (Befehlshaber Panzergruppe "Afrika") with unknown Ritterkreuzträger in North Africa. Behind Rommel with face barely visible is Generalmajor Alfred Gause (Chef des Generalstabes Panzergruppe "Afrika"). The picture was taken in the period between July 1941 (Rommel promoted from Generalleutnant to General der Panzertruppe) and January 1942 (Rommel promoted to Generaloberst).

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776

Rommel Pushing a Car

 

This propaganda photo was taken by Kriegsberichter (War correspondent) Clement Valtingojer, and first published on February 9, 1942. It shows an iconic picture of Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee Afrika) as the "Common Man", helping to free up his Horch 901 Typ 40 Kfz.21 staff car alongside his men. Bundesarchiv identified the man behind Rommel as Oberstleutnant i.G. Siegfried Westphal, Ia a.k.a. Head of Operations of Panzerarmee Afrika. But I'm (Alif) definitely sure that this identification is wrong, because his face is 100% more like Major Friedrich-Wilhelm von Mellenthin, Ic a.k.a  Head of Intelligence of Panzerarmee Afrika. The Bundesarchiv (German National Archives) made a lot of mistakes in the identification of person and the timeline from his collection of photographs. An example is this photo itself, which is said to have been taken in January 1941, even though in that month Rommel had not yet arrived in Africa! Usually, when I see a difference in the date, place or identification of a person in a photo, I trust the caption from the Bayerische Staasbibliothek (Bavarian Archives) rather than the Bundesarchiv, because it is almost always more accurate.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-B20800,_Nordafrika,_Rommel_und_Westphal_schieben_Auto.jpg

Rommel and Friedrich-Wilhelm von Mellenthin

 

Erwin Rommel (wearing Ritterkreuz) with his Afrikakorps. Third from right is one of his staff, Friedrich-Wilhelm von Mellenthin, the latter Generalmajor.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/FriedrichWilhelmvonMellenthin/photos/a.10156420008969546/10156420009199546

Rommel Posing While His Car Stuck

General der Panzertruppe Erwin Rommel (Befehlshaber Panzergruppe "Afrika") posing while his command car is stuck to its axles in the Libyan mud. He is wearing the scarf made by his daughter. The picture was taken between July 1941 - January 1942.

Source :
ECPAD Archive (courtesy of Blanluet Christophe)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158282744703308&set=p.10158282744703308&type=1&theater

Rommel Awarded the German Medal for His Italian Allies

On 9 February 1942, Generaloberst Erwin Rommel (left, Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") awarded the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse to two of his allied Italian generals, Generale di Corpo d'Armata Gastone Gambara (center, Italian XIX Corps Commander) and Generale d'Armata Ettore Bastico (right, Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Army in North Africa). Latter, Bastico would also receive a higher-ranking German medal - Deutsches Kreuz in Gold - on 5 December 1942. Behind Rommel is stood Generale di Brigata Giorgio Calvi di Bergolo (Chief of Staff of the Italian liaison officer with Panzerarmee "Afrika"). Photo by Kriegsberichter Ernst Alexander Zwilling.

Source :
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/1226/12b23fe47a8541af41ec3c8e9adc4e97/

Erwin Rommel at Heraklion Airfield (Crete)

On 25 October 1942, the legendary Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Africa") - a.k.a. "The Desert Fox" - made a brief stop on the Greek island of Crete on his way to his base of operations in North Africa. At Heraklion airfield, he was greeted by Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (Kommmandeur 22. Infanterie-Division), who was the commander of the German troops on the island, and Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau (Fliegerführer "Africa"). Rommel himself was accompanied by Generalmajor Alfred Gause (Chef des Generalstabes Panzerarmee "Africa"). In these photos - by Kriegsberichter Hans Gross from Luftwaffe K.B.K. 7 - Rommel and Gause are wearing schwimmweste (life jackets). Meanwhile, Müller wore a tropenuniform (tropical uniform) and Waldau wore a Luftwaffe feldbluse (field uniform).

At the airfield of Heraklion, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel inspects the guard of honor while with the back to the camera is Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller and Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau.


At the airfield of Heraklion, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel is greeted by Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau. Between them is Generalmajor Alfred Gause, Rommel's Chief of Staff.


Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel is walking with his entourages after landing in Heraklion airfield, Crete. From left to right: Rommel, Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller, unknown Luftwaffe officer, Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau, and Generalmajor Alfred Gause.

 

At the airfield of Heraklion, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel salutes Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau.



At the airfield of Heraklion, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel chats with Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau. Behind Rommel is Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller.



At the airfield of Heraklion, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel with Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau.

From left to right: Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (Kommmandeur 22. Infanterie-Division), Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Africa"), and Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau (Fliegerführer "Africa").



At the airfield of Heraklion (Crete), Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel in the company of Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau.



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel with Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller at his side. Half visible at far right is Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau.

At the airfield of Heraklion (Crete), Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel in the company of Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller.

 

At the airfield of Heraklion (Crete), Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel in the company of Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau. Behind them is Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller.

At the airfield of Heraklion (Crete), Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel step down the stairs, followed by Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller and Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau.

 

At the airfield of Heraklion (Crete), wearing a life jacket, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel is preparing to leave. Nearest to the camera is Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau, while at far right is Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller.

As Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel takes his place in the Dornier Do-215, Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau chats with an unidentified Luftwaffe officer. Blocked by von Waldau is Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller.

 

On board a Dornier Do-215, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel leaves the field of Heraklion for El Alamein, Egypt.

Generalleutnant Otto Hoffmann von Waldau, Generalmajor Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller and Luftwaffe airmen watches together while Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel's plane leave the Heraklion airfield (Crete) and flew to El Alamein, Egypt.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2021/08/foto-friedrich-wilhelm-muller-jenderal.html
https://imagesdefense.gouv.fr/fr/sur-le-terrain-d-aviation-d-heraklion-crete-le-marechal-erwin-rommel-en-compagnie-du-general-generalleutnant-von-waldau.html