Manfred Rommel

Manfred Rommel was a German politician who served as the mayor of Stuttgart from 1974 to 1996. He was the only son of Erwin Rommel, the famous World War II general who was forced to commit suicide by Hitler for his alleged involvement in the July 20 plot. Manfred Rommel was born in Stuttgart and entered service as a Luftwaffenhelfer (air force assistant) in 1943 at age 14. He witnessed his father's departure to his death in 1944 and later revealed the truth about his suicide. After the war, he studied law at the University of Tübingen and became a civil servant in the state government of Baden-Württemberg. He joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and was elected as the mayor of Stuttgart in 1974. He was re-elected three times with large majorities and became one of the most popular and respected municipal politicians in Germany. He was known for his tolerant and liberal policies, his efforts to improve the city's infrastructure and environment, and his support for cultural and social projects. He also established friendly relations with foreign cities, especially with Strasbourg in France and Cardiff in Wales. He received numerous honors and awards, including the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Legion of Honour of France, and the honorary citizenship of Stuttgart. He retired from politics in 1996 and wrote several books on political and humorous topics. He suffered from Parkinson's disease in his later years and died in Stuttgart in 2013. He was buried at Ostfildern cemetery near his home town. He was married to Liselotte Daiber, who died shortly after him, and had a daughter named Catherine. He was also known for his friendship with George Patton IV and David Montgomery, the sons of his father's two main military adversaries.