Previous myth: Why Rommel's grave in Herrlingen attracts more and more visitors

Previous myth: Why Rommel's grave in Herrlingen attracts more and more visitors

A sunny day of excursion moves numerous visitors to the rather inconspicuous cemetery of the Andreaskirche in Herrlingen, not far from Ulm. The reason for the interest: Erwin Rommel, a diverse discussed and controversial military leader of the Second World War, who has found his final rest here. "There is Erwin Rommel, the Generalfeldmarschall," says Johannes Brunner, an elderly gentleman who traveled with his wife from Lower Bavaria. The location of his grave reminds the visitors that Rommel is not only a military legend, but also a controversial figure in history.

The younger generations often have fewer connections with the memory of Rommel, while older contemporaries know him as "desert fox", celebrated for his success in North Africa. On October 14, 1944, exactly 80 years ago, Rommel committed suicide after he was forced to choose Hitler to choose between suicide and a process due to his supposed entanglement. This desperate step gives the myth of Rommel additional fuel.

a symbol of fame and tragedy

rommel embodies the contradictions of the war. "On the one hand, Rommel was a celebrated war hero, then the tragic end came," explains Brunner at the modest grave, which is marked by a simple wooden table. This reveals Rommel's military merits, including the Pour Le Mérite, the highest award of the Empire, and the knight's cross with other honorary signs from the time of the Third Reich.

The simplicity of the grave is contrasting to Rommel's legendary status. Many visitors, including people from former enemy states such as England or the USA, come to learn more about this fascinating character. "We are very interested in his story," says Frank Schulz, whose grandfather served at the Africa corps. These touches with the past show how Rommel continues to serve as a symbol of war and a wide variety of military ideals.

The ambivalence of history

A challenge is to understand Rommel, which causes both admiration and skepticism. Historians examine the tension between his role as a soldier under a brutal regime and his later acts of resistance. His military successes, which represents him as a stark for the Germans in North Africa, are often considered in a romanticized way that distracts from the cruel reality of the war.

Although Rommel became the best -known German after Adolf Hitler in 1942, the question remains how much of his official hero worship actually corresponded to reality. The use in North Africa was not only of great military interest, but also by intensive propaganda use, which marketed it as a charming officer.

The Bundeswehr still considers Rommel to be worthy of tradition. Not only barracks bear his name, cities and municipalities have also taken care of it to reflect on his ambivalent role in history. However, this always leads to discussions about the limits of heroism and the responsibility of military leadership in an inhuman war.

in Herrlingen itself, the responsible authorities seem to be calm with the complexity of the figure of Rommel. Mayor Konrad Menz recently said that a "differentiated view of the person Erwin Rommel" was necessary because he was part of the local history.

In memory of the 80th anniversary of Rommel's death, the city will organize lectures and memorial events. This shows that dealing with the past has never been completed. The connection between Herrlingen and Rommel remains strong, and the interest of people testifies to the continuing fascination for this controversial figure, which is still considered tragically and heroic at the same time.