Plausability and Effects of Rommel Defecting

I just have a question- could Rommel, after the assasination attempt on Hitler, have escaped to Allied lines? Would the Allies have accepted such a defection? Was it out of character for Rommel to do that?

If he did defect, what would be the effect on Germany? What would be his role during the end of the war and after?
 
I would see Rommel leading a "Free German Brigade" on the Allied side. Would that be even possible?
 
I would see Rommel leading a "Free German Brigade" on the Allied side. Would that be even possible?

That is what I was kinda thinking. But then I wondered if the Allies would allow him to lead a brigade. And who would man it? Prisoners of war?
 
If he defects his family is killed. Simple as that.

So yes, it is out of character.

Hm. Put it that way its pretty simple. He did have a lot of love for his family, so... yeah, I guess without his family, he won't defect. Could he have gotten them out too, though?
 
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He'd lose all credibility in Germany, that's for sure.
 
I would see Rommel leading a "Free German Brigade" on the Allied side. Would that be even possible?

Not a chance. Rommel, despite popular perception wasn't a tactical genius of some sort, and even IF there were enough Germans to fill out such a force (which J doubt) it would contribute little to the war. The propaganda victory on the other hand would be enormous.

Hm. Put it that way its pretty simple. He did have a lot of love for his family, so... yeah, I guess without his family, he won't defect. Could he have gotten them out too, though?

Doubtful. He's have to sneak across Germany, which would be hunting for them, across most of France, and finally to Allied lines. That is a really hard journey, and that's not even taking into account that the Germans will take his flight as an admission of guilt and so will be aiming to capture the family.
 
Another question that is valid is what happens should he survive the war. Does he serve as the head of the West German military? Or does he get involved in politics? Or does he voluntarily/involuntarily retire from public service?
 
Well seeing as it is now mid-late 1944, even if he did defect, his use other then for propaganda would be limited. I am not sure how many POWs would be willing to serve under him at this stage.

Now if he surrendered with a large amount of troops and offered to fight against Hitler with them, he might have a little more advantage.
 
Now if he surrendered with a large amount of troops and offered to fight against Hitler with them, he might have a little more advantage.
From the Allies perspective how can they know that they can be trusted - they've already turned their coats once, what's to stop them doing so a second time? Better simply to thank him for the offer but politely decline it and take them into captivity.
 
Can he send his family into Switzerland beforehand? Hells, that might be a good thing to do anyway post Normandy, because he knows that there is now no way Germany can win and he doesn't want to waste his troops on worthless actions, but if it comes down to them or his family...
 
Can he send his family into Switzerland beforehand? Hells, that might be a good thing to do anyway post Normandy, because he knows that there is now no way Germany can win and he doesn't want to waste his troops on worthless actions, but if it comes down to them or his family...

That was difficult. the Gestapo was watching for exactly that. Movement to nuetral nations was tightly controled. One of my elderly customers was a teenager in the war years. Her mother was German & father a american merchant marine officer. Her German grandfather was able to get her into a girls school in Switzerland in 1941, but the German government kept pressuring the family to bring her back to the "Reich". If they wasted such effort on school girls I'd expect a Marshals family would be watched too.
 
From the Allies perspective how can they know that they can be trusted - they've already turned their coats once, what's to stop them doing so a second time? Better simply to thank him for the offer but politely decline it and take them into captivity.
Another thing is that the distinction between "German" and "Nazi" didn't really come about until the Cold War when we suddenly had a requirement for "Good Germans" to face off against the Soviets. Prior to that there is no way that they'd make use of any Germans fighting on their side with the exception of the Foreign Legion and individual Jewish refugees enlisting in British or American units. I'm only aware of 2 German PoWs being enlisted in British service with the SIG during WW2, and one of them (Herbert Brueckner) promptly escaped and betrayed the operation to the Germans.
 
I would imagine that some one of Rommels rank could get hold of a Flieser Stork?

"I am flying my family to Paris <other locatrions are available> for the weekend"

But yes - the man was loyal to Germany - I dont see him defecting

If he had I could still just about see the 'Myth' ?? of him being the 'Good German' continuing

After all what other WW2 German General has Warships and Barracks named after him?
 
Does Rommel's 'Good' German image not rely on two things,

- He is dead and therefore cant do anything bad...

- He was killed by Hitler therefore good as AH is bad.....

Without them post war would he really be classed as a 'good' German ?
 
Rommel's humane treatment of enemy POWs and civilians was well known during the war. If he lives and defects to the Allies then that may trigger other defections as well.

Wikipedia said:
Rommel understood and accepted that with war would come casualties, but he was not one to accept the unnecessary loss of life. "Germany will need men after the war as well" was a comment he frequently made.[6] His view went beyond Germans to include the captured soldiers of his adversaries. Numerous examples exist of Rommel's chivalry towards Allied POWs, including ensuring they were provided with adequate rations.[citation needed] The Afrika Korps was never accused of any war crimes; indeed, during the desert campaign, interactions between German and British troops encountering each other between battles were sometimes openly friendly.[264][265] Rommel defied Hitler's order to execute captured commandos. After the capture of commandos Lieutenant Roy Wooldridge and Lieutenant George Lane following Operation Fortitude, he placed them in a POW camp. When British Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Keyes was killed during a failed commando raid to kill or capture Rommel behind German lines, Rommel ordered him buried with full military honours.

During Rommel's time in France, Hitler ordered him to deport the country's Jewish population; Rommel disobeyed. Several times he wrote letters protesting against the treatment of the Jews. He also refused to comply with Hitler's order to execute Jewish POWs.[citation needed] At his 17 June 1944 meeting with Hitler at Margival, he protested against the atrocity committed by the 2nd SS Panzer division Das Reich, which in retribution had massacred the citizens of the French town of Oradour-sur-Glane. Rommel asked to be allowed to punish the division.[N 10] While he implemented the construction of the many obstacles to strengthen the Atlantic Wall, Rommel directed that French workers were to be paid for their labour, and were not to be used as slave labourers.
 
Does Rommel's 'Good' German image not rely on two things,

- He is dead and therefore cant do anything bad...

- He was killed by Hitler therefore good as AH is bad.....

Without them post war would he really be classed as a 'good' German ?
His 'good' status is based on his having repeated defied Nazi orders to commit atrocities, that will remain.
 
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