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How did Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division earn the nickname Ghost Division?
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Battle of France
Adolf Hitler (center) in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris shortly after signing an armistice with France, June 1940.
During the Battle of France in May 1940, the 7th Panzer Division, commanded by Erwin Rommel, earned the nickname "Ghost Division" due to the extreme speed of its advance.12
The division moved so rapidly across the French countryside that it frequently lost contact with the German Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres). Because the division's location was often unknown to its own superiors and the French forces were unable to track its movements, it seemed to appear and strike unexpectedly. Consequently, both the Germans and the French dubbed it a "ghost division," as neither side could be entirely certain of where Rommel was or where he would strike next.2