Erwin Rommel

Erwin Rommel (b. 1891) is an Imperial High Field Marshall for The Grand Army of The Imperium. He is Deputy Leader of The Imperium and The Emperor's most trusted ally in The Imperium. He is also Leader of The Democratic Faction within the Imperium. This is known to The Emperor and he is using Rommel to calm the Democratic Faction and effectively disable them from functioning.

## Erwin Rommel

### Role

* Imperial High Field Marshall
* Deputy Leader of The Imperium
* Leader of The Imperian Conservative Party

### Born

15 November 1891Heidenheim an der Brenz, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire

### Political Party

The Glorious Imperiumist Party of The Imperium.

## Early Life (1891 - 1914)

Rommel was born on 15 November 1891, in Heidenheim, in the Kingdom of Württemberg, then part of the German Empire. He was one of five children to Erwin Rommel Sr who was a former Artillery officer. At age 18 Rommel joined the Württemberg Infantry Regiment No. 124 in 1909 with war around The Corner. He was assigned to various regiments before returning to the 124th Infantry at The Outbreak of WWI. Rommel was a firm believer in the monarchy at this point and was seen as a staunch monarchist within the German Army. Before the Great War, Rommel was promoted to a Battery Commander.

## The Great War (1914-1918)

Rommel was primarily in France during the War but also saw action in Romania and Italy. He successfully employed the tactics of penetrating enemy lines with heavy covering fire coupled with rapid advances, as well as moving forward rapidly to a flanking position to arrive at the rear of hostile positions, to achieve tactical surprise. Rommel proved he was a capable and strong leader at Verdun where he and three other soldiers caught a French Garrison off-guard.

For his actions in September 1914 and January 1915, Rommel was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class and was the promoted to *Oberleutnant* (first lieutenant). In September 1915, he was transferred to the Royal Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion of the *Alpenkorps ,* a newly created unit, as a company commander. Him and his unit saw extensive action in Romania. The Mountain Battalion was next assigned to the Isonzo front, in a mountainous area in Italy. The offensive, known as the Battle of Caporetto, began on 24 October 1917. Rommel's battalion, consisting of three rifle companies and a machine gun unit, was part of an attempt to take enemy positions on three mountains: Kolovrat, Matajur, and Stol. In two and a half days, from 25 to 27 October, Rommel and his 150 men captured 81 guns and 9,000 men (including 150 officers), at the loss of six dead and 30 wounded. He began to adapt his infiltration tactics and became known for them which greatly helped his men overcome the obstacles of Trench Warfare.

In January 1918, Rommel was promoted to *Hauptmann* (captain) and assigned to a staff position in the 64th Army Corps, where he served for the remainder of the war.

## Post Great War (1919-1932)

With The War now over and The Monarchy abolished, Rommel stayed in the Army and began to see the flaws of the Weimar Government and the effects of Versailles. He would be frequently used to quell communist rebellions in the failing state. Rommel saw first-hand the brutal effects of political violence during Berlin Communist Uprisings in 1922 against The newly formed Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler. Despite opposing ideologies, Rommel comes to respect Hitler's skill of manipulation. In 1929, The Great Depression hits Germany hard and the Military is greatly weakened with many highly skilled officers being removed. Rommel however stays in The Army.

With The Nazi Party becoming more likely to seize power, Rommel renounced all political views and focused his true loyalties with the German Army. He would be promoted to Major in 1931. In October 1932 he was promoted to *Oberstleutnant* (lieutenant colonel). The Nazis would then become in charge of the new German Reich by the end of 1932 and incorporated the Weimar's Armed Forces into the new Wehrmacht. Hitler had heard of Rommel's Military Successes and promoted him to Colonel and eventually second in charge of Hitler's bodyguard.

## Nazi Germany (1932-1940)

The German Reich immediately rearmed the Rhineland in December of 1932 because of the economic collapse of The Allies and their inability to muster a defence against him. Rommel was put in charge of reoccupying the Ruhr Valley , an industrial heartland, and protecting it from Communists and The French. He did this extremely well and was promoted to General. He was very impressed with the new German Military and Hitler's rearmament of Germany but refused to support Nazism and join the Nazi Party which saw him clash with Heinrich Himmler over. He did support Hitler's Nationalist Rhetoric though.

By 1934, Germany had amassed a sizeable army and began to use it for pressuring neighbouring countries such as Austria who would be annexed in 1934. The Army is dominated by several top Generals - Rommel, Walter Model, Heinz Guderian, Erich Von Manstein and Reinhard Heydrich as SS Liaison Officer. The Wehrmacht Generals would begin to become suspicious of the SS and this movement of anti-SS was headed by Rommel and Model/ The Two men saw the SS as trying to take power away from The Army and overthrow Hitler's Government. Rommel and Model contacted several men including SS-Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner to inform the Army about any SS Operations against the Army and a member of a radical Anti-Nazi Faction within the Wehrmacht, Colonel Von Stauffenberg who had men ready to overthrow the Government should the SS try to take over.

Rommel is to crush the Chinese Warlord rebellions in 1935 with a new Panzer Force under his command and he proves himself capable of being a tank commander. Following the Warlord Rebellion, Rommel is put in charge of the 7th Panzer Division whom he served with in China. In September of 1939, The German Reich declares war on Poland following the Gleitwitz incident involving the SS.

This leads the Wehrmacht to become even more suspicious of the Nazi Party itself and the hard-line Nazis of the SS. The Militarist Faction of the Wehrmacht opposes the Nazi Faction of the Wehrmacht who are mainly led by Gerd Von Rundstedt, Eberhard von Mackensen, Alfred Jodl and Johannes Blaskowitz. These Generals are supported by Himmler, Theodor Eicke and other SS Generals (excluding Steiner who supports The Militarists and Heydrich who stays neutral). Erich Von Manstein is killed in Poland after the SS refuses to assist the OKW and the nearest OKW General was Jodl who refused to help a Militarist.

Hitler is forced to hold a meeting and condemn the Service Rivalry where he reprimands the SS for interfering in OKW areas of conscription and power-grabbing and reprimands Rommel and the Militarists for preparing a coup against the SS. He sends Rommel to Africa to take charge of the failing Italian Forces and build up the DAK. During Rommel's time in Africa, he distances himself from the Militarist Movement instead focusing on winning the War for Germany instead of the Nazis. He succeeds in French Africa but Hitler recalls him for a planned invasion of Belgium.

## The Imperiumist Takeover (1940)

Upon Rommel's return he was placed under the command of Walter Model who was now Field Marshall and in charge of the Invasion of The Benelux. With Rommel there was, Rundstedt, Guderian, and Reinhard Heydrich who were tasked with the Invasion of Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg with Rundstedt's Infantry holding the Flanks as Guderian and Rommel's tanks push Westward with the SS Force under Heydrich there to control resistance in the areas. Hitler Stages 10 Panzer Divisions and 15 Wehrmacht Infantry Divisions supported by 3 Waffen SS Divisions along the Belgian Border.

Model however had been influenced by The Emperor , A new and mysterious figure who used the idea of Imperiumism which sought to unite mankind under one agenda , his Will and Orders. Rommel, Guderian and Heydrich liked this new philosophy and supported The Emperor who sought to unify society and make the Human Race United and Strong through populous control.

The 4 Men defied Hitler's Orders and refused to attack. Heydrich sided with Model and stayed on the border whilst Rommel, Guderian and Model linked up with Pro-Imperiumist Forces and The Emperor. Rundstedt attempted to alert the SS of the coup but was killed by Heydrich's Forces who had now sided with the New Imperial Army. Adolf Hitler learns of his General's Betrayal and orders Heydrich and Himmler to destroy the Wehrmacht Revolt. However, Model and Rommel had linked up with The Emperor and began a march on Berlin with The 15 Infantry Divisions and 5 Panzer Divisions under their command. Upon reaching Berlin, The Emperor ordered the surrender of The Waffen-SS Garrison who had kicked the Wehrmacht out. The New Imperial Army began to attack Berlin in The Siege of Berlin. The Siege of Berlin was a bloody fight and took many attempts to kick the SS garrison out. The Siege finally ends and Hitler is killed with Nazi High Command either dead or in hiding.

## End of The War (1940-1941)

With Imperiumism in Control, Rommel was promoted by The Emperor to Field Marshall for his efforts in Berlin. He was then ordered to finish the war by invading the Benelux and France. The New Imperial Army under Model, Steiner and Rommel, invade Belgium and The Allies push into Belgium to meet them. However Rommel and Guderian's Tank Divisions sweep through Allied Lines during the 30 Day Offensive (10th May - 9th June) where Imperium Forces manage to completely overrun The Allied Defences in Belgium and trap The Main British and French Armies in Dunkirk. The Battle of Dunkirk begins on 8th June 1940 in a bid to evacuate The BEF from France. The Emperor notices this evacuation as a major threat to victory in The War and orders Guderian's Panzers to crush the Evacuation. During The Battle of Dunkirk, out of 500,000 BEF Soldiers, only 15,000 make it back to Britain. This leads to an American Entry into the war as The USA becomes heavily Anti-Imperiumist. With The Belgian, British and French Northern Armies gone, The Imperium began the drive to Paris but was stopped by The US Divisions who arrived in France.

Rommel is stationary for the majority of the Battle of France until the Grand Offensive in 1941 where he took Paris on the 21st of March which would be a key factor ending the war. Field Marshall Montgomery of The British Army surrendered to Rommel on the 1st of June and Rommel is awarded the rank of High Field Marshall which is the highest Rank in the Imperial Army.

## Post-War

With the War over, Rommel was now the most senior officer in the Imperium under The Emperor himself. He stayed away from the Invasion of The USSR which he delegated to Field Marshalls Model and Steiner. He would lead the Imperial Forces in Italy and in the Nazi Insurrections where he would create his infamous Search and Destroy Tactic which assisted The Imperial Forces in clearing Nazis from Occupied Cities. He began to stay out of combat experience and instead focused on adapting The Imperial Army and the other Service Branches. He was originally sceptical of the Imperial Storm Divisions and The Imperial Storm Corps due to their similarities to The German-SS but came to accept them as enforcers of Imperiumism.

He had become an 'armchair General' by 1950 and entered politics. He was designated as The Emperor's Second in Command and Successor during The Battle of Imperia City in the Nazi Insurrections. He then became involved in the Imperian Conservative Party and joined their party. The Emperor was aware of this and used this as an opportunity to weaken democratic support by showing that an Imperiumist had infiltrated the Democratic Party.