Visit of Erwin Rommel to 21. Panzer-Division in France

FIRST VISIT (18 MAY 1944)

On Thursday, 18 May 1944, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) visited the 21. Panzer-Division base at Maisons-Laffitte, northern France. At 8:00 AM, when Rommel arrived at the HQ of Panzer-Regiment 200. there was nobody! When the Regimentskommandeur, Oberst Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski, eventually arrived, trailing alcohol fumes, Rommel snorted: “You’re lazy stinkers! What happens if the enemy invasion begins before eight-thirty?” The colonel gasped, “Catastrophe!” and slumped into a chair. Amazingly, the field marshal took no action. Ruge explained in his diary, “Rommel saw at once that he was a good fellow, and he didn’t hold this lapse against him.”

The reformed 21st Pz Div came into existence in Normandy in mid-1943, and was the only panzer division over which Rommel had been allowed to exercise any control prior to the invasion. He had practised them when they were stationed just south of Caen, in various manoeuvres to exploit any momentary weaknesses of the enemy just after landing. Although the Division contained some Afrikakorps veterans, it was equipped with poorly armoured light tanks and had been rated as unfit for service on the Eastern Front. After the withdrawal through France it was assigned to Army Group G. It was commanded throughout its second existence by Edgar Feuchtinger (last rank Generalleutnant), an artilleryman born in Metz in 1894. Most of division’s officers had never had anything to do with tanks before. Divisionskommandeur Edgar Feuchtinger had resourcefully mechanized the unit with an extraordinary array of captured Czech, French and Russian tanks. If the enemy invaded Normandy, Feuchtinger’s would be the only panzer division on the spot!

Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) shaking hands with the officers of 21. Panzer-Division, introduced by Divisionskommandeur Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger who stands behind Rommel.



Accompanied by Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (right, Kommandeur 21. Panzer-Division) and Hauptmann Dr.-Ing. Alfred Becker (left, Kommandeur Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200 / 21.Panzer-Division), Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war machines of 21. Panzer-Division. In the background parked a 15cm heavy field howitzer stands on a French Lorraine Schlepper (Tank Supply Tractor).



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war machines of 21. Panzer-Division, accompanied by the Divisionskommandeur, Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger. In the background parked a 15cm heavy field howitzer stands on a French Lorraine Schlepper (Tank Supply Tractor).



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war machines of 21. Panzer-Division, accompanied by the Divisionskommandeur, Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger.



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war machines of 21. Panzer-Division, accompanied by the Divisionskommandeur, Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger. Shown here is the Jagdpanzer Marder 1 105mm self-propelled artillery (Panzerhaubitze) based on the French H39 chassis.



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) tasting the soldier's meal. In the background is Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (Kommandeur 21. Panzer-Division).



Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) tasting the soldier's meal. At left is Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (Kommandeur 21. Panzer-Division).


Parade of the war machines of 21. Panzer-Division in front of Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) and Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (Kommandeur 21. Panzer-Division)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SECOND VISIT (30 MAY 1944)

On Tuesday 30 May 1944, After seeing a demonstration of smoke projectors and 80mm caliber multi-rocket launchers on the Riva-Bella beach, in the afternoon Generalfeldmarschall Rommel continued his tour by inspecting war machines belonging to 21. Panzer-Division. The inspection took place at Bois de Lébisey, Hérouville-Saint-Clair (6 km north of Caen), and was Rommel's second visit to 21. Panzer-Division headquarters after the first at Rouen which took place on 18 May 1944.

Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspects members of an assault gun battalion standing in front of their guns—10.5cm leFH 18 (Sf.) auf Geschützwagen 39H(f)—a self-propelled howitzer designed by Alfred Becker—in Normandy, France, a month before the Allied invasion. Only 48 were produced during the war.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
Bundesarchiv photo collection
"The Armies of Rommel" by George Forty
"The Trail of the Fox: The Search for the True Field Marshal Rommel" by David Irving
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/erwin-rommel-northern-france.html?sortBy=relevant
https://www.facebook.com/worldwarincolor/photos/a.393169424146189/643834395746356/?type=3