On November 15th, 1891, Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel is born in Heidenheim, Wurtemberg, Germany. A somewhat sickly child in his early years, Rommel develops wiry toughness by bicycle riding and skiing in his youth. He was a good student with an aptitude for mathematics, and wanted to enter engineering with an eye toward working for the Zeppelin Works. His father, a teacher, disagreed and steered Rommel toward the German Army as a career. Rommel was commissioned an Infantry officer after his tour as a Fahrenjunker, and despite having fathered an illegitimate child [a daughter], being too impecunious to obtain permission to marry the child's mother. Rommel supported his daughter throughout his life and remained close to her [It is believed she knitted him the scarf he is seen wearing in many WW II photos].
Rommel started the First World War in France, where he was wounded. He then served in Romania and in Italy with the Alpine Corps. He was instrumental in the German-Austrian victory at Caporetto, where he took a company, captured Mt. Matajur, a number of Italian Generals and 9,000 Italian troops. For this he was awarded, after complaining loudly, the Pour Le Merite, which he added to his Iron Crosses 1st and 2d class, and his wounds badge.
Rommel spent the last year of the war on staff [which he hated], and survived the personnel cuts arising from the Versailles Treaty, to remain in the German Army.
By now married, and the father of a son, Manfred, Rommel remained a Captain for some ten years. In 1934 he refused to march his ski battalion in review for Hitler unless an SS detachment supposed to march in front of his troops was withdrawn [he won]. In 1936 he was appointed military advisor to the Hitler Youth, but quickly tangled with the Hitler Youth Leader, Baldur Von Schirach over what Rommel perceived as an over-emphasis on military training [he lost]. Rommel began lecturing at military academies, and wrote a highly successful book based on his WW I experiences "Infanterie Greift An" ["On Infantry Attacks"]. The book brought him to Hitler's attention, and Rommel commanded Hitler's security battalion and headquarters for both the Anschluss and the Polish campaign. Hitler then gave him a Panzer Division [the 7th] for the French campaign, where he performed brilliantly. In 1941, Hitler put Rommel in command of the Deutsches Afrika Korps, and the rest as they say, is history.
Rommel was, at the time of his appointment in 1942, the youngest Field Marshal in the German Army. Rommel's military awards included the Iron Cross, 1st and 2d Class, the Pour Le Merite, the Knight's Cross with Swords and Oak Leaves, the Tank Assault Badge in Silver and the Wounds Badge.
