Description:

ERWIN ROMMEL
(1891 - 1944) German field marshal whose Afrika Corps threw back repeated British and American assaults in North Africa, later he defended Normandy and ultimately was forced to commit suicide due to his implication in the Hitler bomb plot. A rare, early A.L.S. " Erwin" 8pp. 8vo., [n.p.] Feb. 22, 1913 in German to his fiancée Lucia Maria Mollin whom he had met while at cadet school in Danzig between 1910 to 1912. He writes, in small part: "...I had so much work in the past weeks. As a recruit I received a new, young captain, who was not happy with anything. He preached to me that I should do this or that. He was miserable, my young team was lacking discipline and sometimes he was outright crude. Before the inspection he mentioned that all my recruits need guardian angels, etc. After you work hard for months and you labor and then this guy comes in who is not happy with anything, and makes accusations, then the fun of the business is spoiled! But I did not care. I knew that my men were prepared and we went to the inspection as cool as cucumbers. Everything went great! They congratulated the 'young one' and me on the recruits. Since then he has totally changed. He lets me do as I wish and often invites me for a glass of champagne and praises me. For the time being I'm 'Mr. Popular.' For Mardi Gras I only celebrated twice, but my heart was not in it. Anything more intimate I will not do. See how good I can be, little one?...". Interestingly enough it has been rumored that Rommel had been carrying on an affair at the time with Walburga Stemmer, and allegedly producing a daughter, Gertrud. Rommel continues, "I'm sure you painted the town red! As a change I moved again on February 1. I live in a royal home 3 rooms, kitchen & bath with new furniture - I am just missing a woman who manages it all. Not that I am happy with us living apart, on the contrary the marriage of an officer with its 80,000 M[ark] salary, I really hate. You know how much I miss you! I marry when I want to, I don't need church or justice of the peace. Don't you think so too, sweet little one. You know, I would love to walk down 'Hangasse' in Danzig and suddenly run into you, that would be wonderful. All the things we would do together, my little angel. When the dream becomes reality!! When will you send me a picture of yourself? You always just write; seem different, I don't really know you anymore and never receive a picture. For crying out loud - you have not called in a long time. If we can't meet in Berlin, I won't see you for a year. Or are you perhaps engaged or already married? Please forgive me when I talk like that. I just love you and would like to touch you and shower with kisses. I hope now, that you will write often and tell me how things are, what are you doing and what trouble you got into. And finally please send me the picture I long for. I am yearning for your reply. Greetings and a thousand kisses, your Erwin". An unusual look into the brilliant German officer's love life. Light to moderate toning, one horizontal crease, else very good condition.

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June 4, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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