Rommel in a Map Discussion with His Two Afrikakorps Officers

Erwin Rommel conferred with his two officers in the North African desert. As usual, the Desert Fox is wearing his daughter's scarf and British captured goggle. No exact information about when or where this pic was taken.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection

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 Flanked with Two Italian Officers in Tripoili

Generalleutnant Erwin Rommel (Kommandierender General Deutsches Afrikakorps) in Tripoli soon after his arrival in northern Africa. Before being appointed as Afrikakorps commander, he had commanded the 7. Panzer-Division. In 1940 he crossed the fortifications in southern Belgium across the Ardennes and then he fought in France.

Source :
NARA - 242-EAPC
"Deutsche Afrikakorps (1941-1943)" by Ricardo Recio Cardona

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 Hitler Welcomed by Volksdeutsche in Poland

Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) was warmly welcomed by the Volksdeutsche (Germans living abroad) upon arriving at Maslow airfield, Poland, 10 September 1939. Facing the camera in the middle is Generalmajor Erwin Rommel (Kommandeur Führer-Begleit-Bataillon) who was responsible for the security of the Führer during his visits to Poland (4-26 September 1939 and 5 October 1939). On 10 September 1939 Hitler visited Opole/Oppeln, Końskie and Kielce, while on 11 September he was in Tomaszów and Illnau.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/03/album-foto-erwin-rommel-sebagai.html
https://audiovis.nac.gov.pl/obraz/138/12b23fe47a8541af41ec3c8e9adc4e97/

Rommel with His Panzer Officers in France

Divisionskommandeur Rommel is having a casual discussion with his officers from the Panzer-Regiment 25 / 7.Panzer-Division near the banks of the river Seine (France), mid-June 1940. From left to right: Major Franz von Lindenau (Kommandeur I.Abteilung / Panzer -Regiment 25), Oberst Karl Rothenburg (Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 25), Major Casimir Kentel (Kommandeur II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 25), Hauptmann Adelbert Schulz (Chef 1.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 25), Generalmajor Erwin Rommel (Kommandeur 7. Panzer-Division), and Major iG Otto Heidkämper (Ia Erster Generalstabsoffizier 7. Panzer-Division). In the Battle of France, 7. Panzer-Division was equipped with outdated Czechoslovakian tanks (some of them are visible in the background). The division, resuming its advance on 5 June, drove for the River Seine to secure the bridges near Rouen. Advancing 100 kilometres (62 mi) in two days, the division reached Rouen to find the bridges destroyed. From here they moved north, blocking the westward route to Le Havre and the Operation Cycle evacuations and forcing over 10,000 men of the 51st (Highland) Division, French 9th Army Corps and other supporting troops to surrender at Saint-Valery-en-Caux on 12 June.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1972-045-08
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Panzer_Division_(Wehrmacht)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1972-045-08,_Westfeldzug,_Rommel_bei_Besprechung_mit_Offizieren.jpg

Rommel Studying Maps in France

Generalmajor Erwin Rommel (seated at left, Kommandeur 7. Panzer-Division) studying maps with his officers. This photo was taken during the German invasion of France, May 1940.

 
Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1972-045-02
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1972-045-02,_Frankreich,_Erwin_Rommel_und_Offiziere_mit_Karten.jpg

The First Days of Rommel as a Divisionskommandeur

Generalmajor Erwin Rommel was appointed as a Commander of the 7. The Panzer-Division, replacing Generalleutnant Georg Stumme, in February 1940. At first he made a less-than-promising impression when - on the first day of his arrival - saluted his senior commanders with a Nazi salute instead of a usual military salute! (though Rommel was eventually forced to commit suicide in 1944 for alleged involvement in the anti-Hitler movement, but in 1939 he was Head of Hitler's Bodyguard Battalion and, as such, had become a Nazi fanatic in 1940). The "newbie" Division Commander also offended his officers when he said that most of the 7th Panzer-Division were comes from Thuringia, a region that is considered rarely producing quality soldiers! Not enough, Rommel immediately ordered a general inspection of the entire army the next day – which happened to be a Sunday – which was an unusual thing to do and, therefore, very unpopular with the soldiers. All of this, coupled with the fact that Rommel was seen as a mere “Hitler's consignment” and had no experience in an armored unit at all, made most of the 7th Panzer-Division officers hate him. Rommel realized this too, and he overcame it in one drastic measure: on February 29, 1940 Rommel suddenly fired a battalion commander who was considered a nuisance, and made him leave the division headquarters in just an hour and a half! This ruthless act of tolerance shocked the entire division, and forced them to obey Rommel's further instructions - at first reluctantly, but then done with a full support when they saw that the Divisionskommandeur always at the forefront of every battle, slept in the tent with the grass as a floor, and ate the same rations eaten by the lowest-ranking soldiers in his unit!

Source :
"Rommel's Lieutenants: The Men Who Served the Desert Fox" by Samuel W. Mitcham
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/03/album-foto-erwin-rommel-sebagai_10.html