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Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel (15 November 1891 - 14 October 1944) German Field Marshall and commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps in World War II . He is also known by his nickname The Desert Fox (Der Wüstenfuchs).
Sourced
- Im Hinblick auf meinen Dienst in Afrika wird mir die Möglichkeit geboten, durch Gift zu sterben. Zwei Generäle haben es mitgebracht. Es ist in drei Sekunden tödlich. Wenn ich akzeptiere, wird keiner der üblichen Schritte gegen meine Familie unternommen; das heißt, gegen euch. Sie werden auch meinen Stab in Ruhe lassen.
- In view of my services in Africa, I have the chance of dying by poison. Two generals have brought it with them. It is fatal in three seconds. If I take the poison, none of the usual steps will be taken against my family; that is, against you. They will also leave my staff alone.
- Statement from Rommel's suicide note, choosing death by cyanide, rather than one involving the threatened persecution of his family, after being implicated in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
Attributed
- Be an example to your men in your duty and in private life. Never spare yourself, and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance of fatigue and privation. Always be tactful and well-mannered, and teach your subordinates to be the same. Avoid excessive sharpness or harshness of voice, which usually indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to hide.
- Courage which goes against military expediency is stupidity, or, if it is insisted upon by a commander, irresponsibility.
- Don't fight a battle if you don't gain anything by winning.
- I would rather more happy had he given me one more division.
- Comment after Hitler made him a Field Marshal
- In a man-to-man fight, the winner is he who has one more round in his magazine.
- In the absence of orders, go find something and kill it.
- Mortal danger is an effective antidote for fixed ideas.
- One must not judge everyone in the world by his qualities as a soldier: otherwise we should have no civilization.
- Sweat saves blood, blood saves lives, and brains saves both.
- The art of concentrating strength at one point, forcing a breakthrough, rolling up and securing the flanks on either side, and then penetrating like lightning deep into his rear, before the enemy has time to react.
- The future battle on the ground will be preceded by battle in the air. This will determine which of the contestants has to suffer operational and tactical disadvantages and be forced throughout the battle into adoption compromise solutions.
Quotes by others about Erwin Rommel
- Anybody who came under the spell of his personality turned into a real soldier. He seemed to know what the enemy were like and how they would react.
- Theodor Werner an officer who, during World War I, served under Rommel.
- Rommel, you magnificent bastard! I read your book!
- Exclamation by George S. Patton upon defeating Erwin Rommel's forces in North Africa.
- We have a very daring and skillful opponent against us, and, may I say across the havoc of war, a great General.
- Winston Churchill, said during the debate in the British Parliament over a censure vote against Churchill for his failure to defeat Rommel. The vote failed.
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