ERWIN ROMMEL
“THE DESERT FOX” WRITING FROM NORTH AFRICA
“THE GERMAN SOLDIER, EVEN UNDER THE EXTRAORDINARILY DIFFICULT DESERT CONDITIONS, HAS BEEN FIGHTING IN EXEMPLARY FASHION, BRAVELY AND IMBUED WITH A SENSE OF DUTY… FOR THE COMMON VICTORY”
ROMMEL, ERWIN. (1891-1944). German soldier; widely recognized as one of the finest tank commanders of WWII. Superb Printed Letter Signed “Rommel”, in strong indelible pencil, as was his custom while serving as General of the Panzer Corps in North Africa. Full page, quarto, “Gefechtsstand” [Command Post], circa 1941. Two punched file holes in blank left margin, else very fine condition. Rommel writes:
“I receive daily an extraordinary amount of mail from all parts of Germany. I am very happy about the greetings from back home. However, no matter how hard I try, I will not be able to answer each letter individually, considering the scope of the task I have been entrusted with. I therefore ask for your understanding that any greetings can be answered only in this form. The war correspondents assigned to the German troops here have related so many events in words and pictures that I can refer you to them. Also, the weekly newsreels give an accurate image of the extraordinary achievements of our troops in North Africa. I am proud of being able to say that the German soldier, even under the extraordinarily difficult desert conditions, has been fighting in exemplary fashion, bravely and imbued with a sense of duty, side by side with our Italian comrades, for the common victory. In the future, too, the German troops in North Africa will hold their difficult positions and contribute their share for the final victory of the Axis. Thank you so much for your congratulatory message. Hail to the Fuhrer. Rommel”.
Rommel had a brilliant military career. Leading a panzer division during the 1940 invasion of France, he displayed such drive and initiative that he was promoted to command the Afrika Korps, where his spectacular success against the attenuated 8th Army earned him the sobriquet of the “Desert Fox”, and the admiration of his opponents. He captured Tobruk (1942) and drove the British right back to El-Alamein, but in November 1942, was defeated there by Montgomery and retreated to Tunis. Hitler then appointed him commander of the Channel defenses in France. Returning home in 1944, his condoning of the plot against Hitler brought him the choice between the firing squad and suicide. He chose to die by self-administered poison, thus preserving his estate for his family. Rommel material is exceedingly scarce, with few examples appearing on the autograph market. Fine condition.
$4,500.00