Friedrich Fromm

Infobox Military Person
name=Friedrich Fromm
lived=8 October 1888 – 12 March 1945
placeofbirth=Berlin
placeofdeath=Brandenburg


caption="Generaloberst Friedrich Fromm"
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
flagicon|Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=Heer
serviceyears=
rank=Generaloberst
commands=Chef der Heeresausrüstung und Befehlshaber des Ersatzheeres
unit=
battles=World War I
World War II
awards="Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross"
laterwork=

Friedrich Fromm (October 8 1888 – March 12 1945) was a German army officer remembered for his betrayal of conspirators involved in the July 20 Plot to assassinate German dictator Adolf Hitler.

Fromm was born in Charlottenburg. He served as a lieutenant during the First World War. In World War II Fromm was Commander in Chief of the Replacement Army (Ersatzheer), in charge of training and personnel replacement for the German Army, a position he occupied for most of the Second World War. Though he was aware that some of his subordinates - most notably, Claus von Stauffenberg, his Chief of Staff - were planning an assassination attempt, he remained quiet. When the assassination attempt failed, Fromm reacted by ordering the execution of those conspirators he knew. Unfortunately for Fromm, this reaction helped to expose his own lack of action and alleged failure to report the plot. He was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death by the German "People's Court" ("Volksgerichtshof"). Despite his involvement in the conspiracy, his formal sentence condemned him for poor performance of his duties. He was executed in Brandenburg an der Havel. Hitler personally commuted his death sentence from hanging to "more honorable" firing squad.

Awards

* Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Classes
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (6 July 1940)

References

* Walther-Peer Fellgiebel (2000), "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5
* Bernhard R. Kroener, “Der starke Mann im Heimatkriegsgebiet”. Generaloberst Friedrich Fromm. Eine Biographie (Paderborn: Schoeningh, 2005)