Museum remembering WWII to re-open in Alamein

CAIRO – 14 April 2017: German General Erwin Rommel, a popular WWII figure, commanded his troops from a cave located near El Alamein, an area on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast near Marsa Matrouh city.



Cave Gate - YOUM7

In 1988, the cave was transformed into a museum that stands as tribute to Rommel’s career, making it the only such ‘cave museum’ in Egypt. Closed in 2010 for renovations, the museum is expected to re-open next year.

Serving as an important remembrance of WWII, the cave’s historical value goes back much further: it was used to store grain by the Romans during ancient times, as reported by

Youm7

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The museum describes the military planning of the second El Alameei battle of 1942, which is considered the climax of WWII in North African. During the battle, Rommel led the German troops and their allies against England and its allies.

According to Youm7, in 1991 new weapons belonging to Rommel and the German troops as well as Rommel’s personal belongings, military suits and badges and photographs were dedicated to the museum by Rommel’s family.

The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities supervised the museum from 1999 until it was closed in 2010 for almost seven years for renovations.

Elham Salah Al Din, head of the Museum Sectors at the Ministry of Antiquities, told Youm7 that the renovation is now working on the final touches and is set to re-open in 2018. Din added that various archeological artifacts excavated in Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh will also be on display at the museum.