What Ken Kreckel says about The Rommel Mission:

The story of the Rommel Mission begins, in a sense, in my childhood.  Listening to my dad’s stories of his World War II service as a combat infantryman on Okinawa kindled an interest within me that never wavered.  It was the adventure that first attracted me, and I devoured all the information on the war I could lay my hands on.  By high school, books such as Churchill’s six volume history of the war, the Rommel Papers, and others were duly digested.  However at this time, the war became more personal.  My brother’s service in Vietnam, a friend returning stateside disabled, and my cousin’s bronze star, awarded posthumously for the saving of the members of his squad, all conspired to make war more personal, and poignant.

When, as an adult, I came to live in England, World War II came alive for me. There the war is a much more immediate memory, and the gratitude of the common people for the crucial American contribution is still felt.  Communicating this to my uncle, who fought under Patton through France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and  ultimately, Germany, resulted in tears over what was, for him, the memory of the most painful, and the most significant, time of his life.  It was at that moment I wondered, did his life have to take this turn?

The Rommel Mission is an attempt at an answer.  The time of the Normandy invasion was a confusing and disconcerting time for the Germans.  While the mission of the Allies was clear, the liberation of Europe from the barbarism of Nazism, the goal on the other side was not so obvious, or moral.  Indeed, notions of patriotism and loyalty clashed with their repugnance at serving an evil regime, and the near certainty of their eventual defeat in battle.  Rommel’s own thoughts on the matter seem equivocal. Was he or was he not attempting to end the madness?  Without a doubt he knew he was pursuing a lost cause, but was he going to take the final step, that of delivering his command to the Allies?  There are hints that this is indeed the case, but alas, incontrovertible evidence does not exist.  Subversive plots, after all, are seldom committed to paper.  The very nature of a conspiracy determines that records will not be kept.  However, Hitler himself became convinced that his armies in the West were preparing to lay down their arms, recalling Rommel’s successor to his headquarters to answer for it.  Rather than face this, Kluge committed suicide.  Likewise, Rommel gave up his life.  History leaves the question tantalizingly unanswered.

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Ken  Kreckel writes novel length historical fiction and mysteries, as well as short stories and feature articles. He graduated with a BS in Geology from Michigan Technological University.  As a professional geophysicist, he pursued a long career in oil and gas exploration, being personally involved in the discovery and development of numerous oil and gas fields.  This occupation brought him to a myriad of locations across North America and Europe, many of which provide settings for his writing.   As an author, he has published both technical and popular work.  His short stories have been included in an anthology, Foreign Ground, Travelers’ Tales, published by Pronghorn Press, as well as collected works by Wyoming Writers. A recent article has been published in the Mensa Bulletin.  His work has been recognized by Writer’s Digest and Wyoming Writers.  His writing covers a variety of subjects, including travel and history, with a particular emphasis on World War II and the Cold War eras, both of which have been lifelong interests.  He resides in Casper, Wyoming, where he continues consulting for the oil and gas industry and serves as a Planning Commissioner for the city. When not traveling, painting or cross country skiing, he can be found writing at his home.

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What Readers are Saying about "The Rommel Mission"

"The Rommel Mission is an enlightening, well-documented, interpretive assessment of the events and facts surrounding Germany’s reaction or lack thereof to the D-Day invasion.  Through his story, Ken reveals the good intentions of a commanding officer confronted by an austere situation of the gravest magnitude … the good intentions of an enemy soldier.

Ken Kreckel’s marvelous writing ability and style masterfully blends both intrigue and mystique into his story.  The adaptation of the facts and the manner in which they are introduced are superior.  The reader will quickly become absorbed in Ken’s book, a tribute to his extensive research, the power of his writing, to his creativity, and the amazing manner in which he conveys his story. " ~ Lloyd A. King, Author of "From 'Nam With Love"