Death Masks of the Famous and Infamous

Erwin Rommel (1891-1944)

Photo Credits: Abroadintheyard

Erwin Rommel was a German general and military theorist that served as a field marshal in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. In World War I, he was a decorated officer and published a book called Infantry Tactics. His leadership of the German and Italian forces in the North African campaign established him as one of the greatest tank commanders of the war, and earned him the nickname “The Desert Fox.” In 1944, Rommel was discovered to be implicated in the plot to assassinate Hitler. Because he was a national hero, Hitler gave him the chance to avoid humiliation and allowed him to commit suicide with a cyanide pill. Rommel obliged and died at the age of 52.