He is viewed as Hitler’s finest general, respected even by the Allies as a professional and honourable soldier.
But Erwin Rommel was also capable of great cunning, as his opponents learned when they were outmanoeuvred on the battlefields of North Africa.
In matters of the heart, it appears that this ruthless streak got the better of his chivalrous side.
In fact, his grandson says the man nicknamed the Desert Fox was a love rat.
Josef Pan, 72, is to publish the story of his grandmother Walburga’s love affair with Rommel – an affair which he says Rommel covered up for the sake of his career.
Mr Pan, from Bavaria, owns the 150 letters Rommel sent to Walburga, who committed suicide 15 years after she bore his child.
He also has a photo of the couple shortly before the First World War.
‘Walburga gave birth to my mother Gertrud Stemmer, on December 8, 1913, but he turned away from her and married Lucie Mollin in 1916,’ said Mr Pan.
‘My grandmother died in 1928, a few months before Rommel had his son, Manfred, with Lucie.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...gitimate-child-sake-career.html#ixzz1qWSGzVDx
But Erwin Rommel was also capable of great cunning, as his opponents learned when they were outmanoeuvred on the battlefields of North Africa.
In matters of the heart, it appears that this ruthless streak got the better of his chivalrous side.
In fact, his grandson says the man nicknamed the Desert Fox was a love rat.
Josef Pan, 72, is to publish the story of his grandmother Walburga’s love affair with Rommel – an affair which he says Rommel covered up for the sake of his career.
Mr Pan, from Bavaria, owns the 150 letters Rommel sent to Walburga, who committed suicide 15 years after she bore his child.
He also has a photo of the couple shortly before the First World War.
‘Walburga gave birth to my mother Gertrud Stemmer, on December 8, 1913, but he turned away from her and married Lucie Mollin in 1916,’ said Mr Pan.
‘My grandmother died in 1928, a few months before Rommel had his son, Manfred, with Lucie.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...gitimate-child-sake-career.html#ixzz1qWSGzVDx