The history of Rommel's goggles and scarf

Before the marriage with Lucy, The Desert Fox had an affair with the girl Walburga. Parents didn’t allow Erwin to marry in Walburg because Rommel wanted to leave the army because of this. Nevertheless, they had a daughter, Gertrud, about the existence of which very few people know. And after the birth of Manfred, Walburg did not suffer this and committed suicide. Rommel didn’t forget and didn’t leave his daughter. We can see her on a family photo, where she stands with her father and his wife against the back of the headquarters car in the personal estate of Rommel.

In 2013, there was an information that the book of the 72-year-old German Josef Pan will soon be published, which tells the love story that the illustrious General hid in order not to tarnish his career. Pan has 150 letters confirming the love relationship between Rommel and Walburga Stemmer, who committed suicide 15 years after the birth of their common child Gertrud. The author even has a photo of a couple made shortly before the First World War.

Josef Pan himself is said to be Rommel's grandson. "Valburga gave birth to my mother, Gertrude Stemmer, on December 8, 1913, but he (Rommel) turned away from her and in 1916 married Lucy Mollin" he said. Also, he confirms the fact that after the death of his mother, Gertrud nevertheless continued to communicate with her father. She wrote him dozens of letters and was even introduced to his new family as a "cousin". She remained intimate with her relatives even after her father's death in 1944.

And here's an interesting fact… Josef Pan said that "Rommel during the battles in Africa often wore a scarf tied by his daughter." Here's another secret opened!

Well, the history of glasses is not less interesting ... In early April 1941, Rommel landed in El Mekili, returning from personal intelligence of the situation in the desert. After a brief conversation with the captured British, he examined with great interest their captured huge staff cars, which the Germans called "Mammoths" one of which was later used for its intended purpose by the Desert Fox. He watched the discharging of the British trucks. Among the unloaded things he noticed a pair of huge goggles. He liked them. He smiled and said "Even the General is allowed to take prey. I'll take these glasses myself!" He put the glasses on top of the peak of his cap with a gold edging and since then these goggles, combined with the scarf donated by Gertrud's daughter, have become the main feature of the Desert Fox.