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Post by nomadicsoul on Oct 17, 2012 16:20:06 GMT -5
For some reason, I have always been enamored with Rommel. Loved and admired him like a son loves and admires his father. Always thought he was one of the people who had incredible integrity. One of the high command who actually cared about his troops and respected them as fellow men. I don't know if I at some point met him in my PL? Perhaps read about him? I don't know if I knew about him from before I started to see things as they really were, or afterwards.
Maybe I just think he's neat because my father used to speak highly of him. I don't know.
Anyone else ever felt like that about either Rommel, or another figure from the time period, regardless of side?
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Post by stormflux on Oct 17, 2012 16:43:44 GMT -5
This is a cool subject.  Rommel was an amazing man and outstanding general, in terms of tactical skill, resilience, and personality. He had it all. Maybe I was a little envious of that then, or just how history remembers him with more fame and fondness than myself, who is only ever mentioned in having my name tacked to the Night of Long Knives, retreating from Russia, and the Great Flop that was the Battle of the Bulge. Which is crappy but what can you do? Admittedly, I have an immature jealous of him now. I have something similar with Hans Guderien. I admire him greatly, as a man and a general. There was something decidedly personal about my admiration to the point of being affectionate in a kindred spirit and brothers-of-war sense that seemed more than I felt towards other men I'd served with or known who were equally admirable. I thought it was weird that I couldn't find anything connecting my past life in Germany to him in a personal way other than your typical "higher ranked, knew his name, probably knew mine" sort of sense that I'd hoped it was more than. Then I found these photos: sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/241531_263253633778444_1704623787_o.jpgsphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/533680_263253583778449_505865144_n.jpgWhich are him and I together. There is more but I'll just post these for the point. I also have a deep love and respect for Paul Hausser. He wasn't too much older but in a way he'd felt like the "older brother that acts like a father at times" to me. |
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Post by nomadicsoul on Oct 17, 2012 21:11:05 GMT -5
Oh, that is neat! It's funny how things turn out like that, isn't it? You know something, and it takes some digging, but then there are things that turn out to support what you knew all along! Very, very interesting and thank you so much for sharing that.
That feeling such as you describe with Paul Hausser is unlike anything else. It's a comforting thing, I think.
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Post by Leutnantzursee on Oct 17, 2012 21:38:46 GMT -5
Oh yes Rommel was a marvelous soldier, I always liked him too, those were the sorts of men I admired (and still do!) ones who honoured their men and understood our fears and apprehension as much as our bravery and sometimes our 'schoolboy' antics!  A good leader was a man with warm blood as well as steel in his veins, he had to be a father to his men as well as their superior in rank, I think that was paramount. My captain on the Scharnhorst Fritz Hintze was a wonderful man, I know nothing about him from 'fact' but when I look at his photograph, I just cry because he was such a brave man and a good, kind one too. I don't think I ever knew my father back then, so Hintze became that father figure I so needed. His final address to his crew before we sank, was 'it has been a privilege to serve with you...' that says it all really :-) On the other hand I seriously dislike Doenitz, when I look at him, I just feel contempt, I'm not sure why, but he must have rubbed me up the wrong way at some point!  |
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Post by Laurasia on Oct 25, 2012 13:37:45 GMT -5
Strange as it may seem, Hans always admired Reinhard Heydrich. Even with his high position & involvement in things Hans always saw him just as much a victim of his own superiors orders as the rest of us who were further down the totem pole.
Sincerely,
Laurasia
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Post by Demi on Oct 25, 2012 15:46:25 GMT -5
I believe Fritsi looked up to anyone on the top. He would have looked up to Laurasia if he knew her ;D He thought of Adi being a little nuts tho' (but getting the job done) what I mean he was not a fanatic FAN of him so to say... anyone having the same feelings? Oh and Rommel was a great general, I've always felt that. Oh, isn't that the guy running for US president? All the best, Demi |
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A good leader was a man with warm blood as well as steel in his veins, he had to be a father to his men as well as their superior in rank, I think that was paramount. 
