Evening star., 1944-08-14
RommeI Drew Plans
Al French Chateau
Used by Pershing
BY EDWARD d. BALL,


WITH THE AMERICANS ON
THE ROAD TO PARIS, Aug. IL
Delayed Field Marshal Erwin
Rommel plotted his futile anti
invasion plans in the same stately
stone chateau and at the same Ia
BILE where Gen. John j. Pershing
worked in the World War, and
where British Army headquarters
was located for time early in this
war.
The chateau, which now is behind
our lines, also was headquarters for
Col. Gen. Friedrich Dollmann, COM
mander of German forces in Wes-
tern France, who was found dead
in LIE Mans under mysterious cir
cumstances after the Allied inva-
sion.
Rommel, Dollmann, Marshal Won
Rundstedt, Admiral Karl Doenitz,
Air Force Marshal Hugo Sperrle
and other high command leaders
put their heads together In the
richly furnished study until the
Nazi Army command decamped less
than a month ago.
Owner Remained in Chateau,
The plump, merry-eyed head
housekeeper showed me through the
ornate palace. She explained that
her mistress, 78-year-old Countess
du HoussoiX, the owner, and her
staff had remained in part of the
chateau during the two years of
German occupancy, with the move
ments of the latter closely restrict
ed. The countess husband, a close
friend of many famous Americans,
died in 1899. The ailing countess
now is confined to her bed.
The housekeeper showed me the
second-f1oor study with its beau
tiful hand-carved oak paneling
where the Nazi command pored over
maps.
And that table over there was
where Pershing worked during Wis
its to the chateau, which quartered
40 of his staff officers in the last
war" she said.
Furnishings Are Exquisite.
1t was a solid. highly polished ta-
BILE in the center of a room, walls
of which were covered with oils by
old masters. Chairs about the room
were covered with exquisite, price,
less tapestry.
"Dollmann,' she continued, "ar-
rived here February 7, 1912, and
lived here until they found him
dead in LIE Mans recently. He had
stayed in town overnight and after
his death the Germans announced
he had committed suicide, but word
got around that he was made a goat
and put out Of the way because the
Germans couldn't stop the Allied
invasion"
Berlin radio on June 80 said
Dollmann had been killed in action.
1t was speculated in London that
he might have been a bomb VIC
tim. Hitler later gave Dollmann a
posthumous decoration)
Shortly before the outbreak of
this war, the housekeeper continued,
British Field Marshal Lord Gort
and his staff came to the chateau
secretly to discuss defense plans
with the French. When hostilities
began, Lord Gort set up headquar-
tiers here with the Duke of Glou-
cester as his aide.
Rommel Came in March.
Rommel made his first apear-
ance at the chateau last March In
great secrecy, the housekeeper said.
After his first visit, Rommel came
often.
He would bring Doenitz, Sperre.
Won Runstedt and Others and
they'd always go to the second floor
for long conferences" she said.
They would leave in separate par
ties for inspection tours of coast
defenses."
For protection against air attack,
the Nazis had within sprinting dis
tance of the chateau a formidable
shelter. Made of concrete blocks
six feet square, it was equipped with
antl-eas doors, running hot and cold
water. beds, electric lights and air
conditioning.