Assuming Rommel makes it out of the war without being punished and forced to kill himself, what would the waning years of the war look like and what would happen in regards to Rommel in the post-war years?
WI: Rommel Survives the War
- Thread starter Emperor Norton I
- Start date
Rommel is not connected to a conspiracy to assassinate Hitler. He is therefore not forced to take a cyanide pill in 1944, with the Nazi state covering up his death as succumbing to war wounds as it did OTL (he was a national hero). He therefore continues living after October 1944.
I'd like to say West German Government and a strong figure who would help to rehabilitate Germans somewhat in the eyes of the rest of the world.
But I'm not sure how possible or likely it would be, really depends how and why he survives, and how clear he can make the seperation of the Nazi regimes crimes and himself.
But I'm not sure how possible or likely it would be, really depends how and why he survives, and how clear he can make the seperation of the Nazi regimes crimes and himself.
Using Dönitz as the point of reference, I'd say Rommel would end up at Nuremberg, and get ten to twenty years in prison.
Yeah... Sigh... Unless he still gets involved with plotting and Monty et al speak up for him at trial.
He honestly wouldn't deserve such a sentence, but I can see it happening.
Bearing in mind Rommel was not really a Nazi. He was a German soldier foremost, and was earlier in favor of Hitler on those terms as Hitler was burning the Versailles treaty, but he was never savage and ignored Nazi demands to round up Jews whether they be soldiers or civilians. Hence joining the plot against Hitler.
Uh, no, Rommel's record is nearly spotless, except that he was working for the Nazis, while Dönitz' is rather more murky. They could only get him on counts 1 and 2 in any case, and I suspect he'd be acquitted of those.
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Perhaps he's more loosely connected to the plot (similar to how Albert Speer was), and is spared but forced into retirement/seclusion?
That's a good idea. It would make his involvement more visible to the Allies.
It seems to be not fully understood that field commanders did not end up at Nürnberg, even one that went along with genocidal orders like Von Mainstein. After he went to a separate trial were he was give a four year slap on the wrist.
In terms of the Heer desk generals and political figures ended up in Nürnberg. Dontz ended up at Nürnberg half because he pissed off powerful shipping interests and half because Hitler left him in charge making him somewhat a political figure.
Anyway the Western publics didn't like Von Rundstedt in the least, but no time in jail for him.
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Indeed. You'd have to change the circumstances of his meetings with the July 20th plotters, perhaps reduce it down to an informal meeting where he repudiates the offer to join the conspiracy, and maintains his OTL position that Hitler be forced to step down and placed on trial. When the plot is uncovered (either through an internal security leak or the failed implementation of Valkyrie as it was in OTL) and the investigation is widened to anyone who even looked at the plotters, Rommel is implicated but not "enough to convict", so to speak. Instead of being forced to commit suicide he's offered the chance to retire "with honor" or whatever, and basically be forced into house arrest for the duration (ie until the red flag is flown over the Reichstag)
Combine that with Hitler not being able to make it to France like OTL so no final fireworks with Hitler and Von Kluge burning the ultimatum letter and it might work.
usertron2020
Donor
But he was in essence "sentenced" to a life of complete poverty, as he had no pension and was banned from writing any memoirs, which had the potential of being his only source of income.
He will be sentenced to serve as West German president
He'd be assassinated by the NKVD/KGB first. OTOH, I could easily see him getting Speidel's OTL job of founding the Bundeswehr, with Speidel as his Chief-of-Staff and later successor.