MovieChat Forums > Valkyrie (2008) Discussion > Rommel???

Rommel???

posted 8 years ago by elmuano
6 replies | jump to latest

Where the hell was Rommel, one of the true heroes in this story? I can't believe his character didn't even have a role in this movie. Romel, the Desert Fox even was given the option to commit suicide by Hitler and was paraded as a hero to hide the fact that this very popular nazi was a traitor.
From all of the conspirators, Rommel impresses me the most since while most of them had more selfish motives (some just were focused on Germany wining and their political survival) Rommel indeed was repulsed by the war crimes, even though he himself was very involved in gruesome battles, but still tried to keep his honor and humanity. Especially remarkable was his disobedience to the Fuhrer to kill Jews.
Plus his bravery in the North African front, but that's another story.

[–] matt21-690-602571 8 years ago

Rommel was not a Nazi. I personally don't believe he was anyway. And I don't think he was involved in the plan persay. He was certainly killed for it. I heard something just earlier today about the whole plot and it said that Rommel had said/agreed to enter into peace and surrender talks with the Allies IF Valkyrie were successful. I think that sounds realistic and likely what happened.
Now, should he have been killed for it? I'm sure many societies, at any time thru history, including now, would feel that knowing of a plot to kill the "emporer" and doing nothing makes u just as guilty as ones directly involved. Not just the Nazis.
Re original post--having Rommel in the movie would have just been for the sake of...having Rommel in the movie. The setting was never out in the field of battle, where he probably was

[–] realkillerthing 8 years ago

The plotters approached several high ranking military commanders, not just Rommel. Erich Von Manstein and Fedor Von Bock to name a few. These men rejected to offer any help, but it should be mentioned that they also did not reveal any information to Hitler or the SS about what was going on.

I would consider them neutral. They knew that killing Hitler could bring even more chaos to Germany and have someone even worse to take his place, let alone the fact that the plot would very likely fail, even if it should succeed and that they could lose their high ranking position and personal honor in the process

[–] GattiPL 8 years ago

In my opinion they're all complicit in Hitlers crimes.

If you don't believe in the cause you don't keep winning battles for it. They could have just defected if they were so against it. For Rommel it would have been easy in North Africa.

[–] Magnum2895-3 8 years ago

Many people have a tendency to think that everyone who served in the German armed forces during world war 2 was a nazi Jew hater. Not true !!! There were Germans who saw the futility and immorality of nazi war aims but their sense of duty and honor made ceasing to fight unthinkable. Like the Gis who stormed the beaches of Normandy, the German troops who served in France, Northern Africa, the Soviet Union and Italy were there because they had to be. They didn't have a vote. But you can fight for your country while at the same time disagree with the politicians controlling the country. Rommel was approached by the plotters but he lived by a code which basically said that field marshals do not mutiny. He did not join the plotters but he didn't betray them either. And that is what led to his forced suicide. But both the British and the Americans remember Rommel for being an honorable opponent and a brilliant commander. When the German military lost Rommel they took a hit.

[–] larry8827 8 years ago

The way I understand it Rommel was not directly connected with the plotters. They made discreet approaches but he was against assassination and in favour of arrest and trial. His main guilt in Hitlers eyes was not reporting it and allowing it to go through.
If Rommel was fully on board they may have had a better plan/ execution for the coup following the assassination.

[–] fokker671 7 years ago

Rommel was severely injured in an allied strafing attack on July 17th 1944 so he was not in any position to assist anybody on the 20th.