Friedrich Dollmann was a German general during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, most notably serving during the early phases of the D-Day Invasion

D-Day

D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...

.

Born in 1882, Dollmann remained in the Reichswehr

Reichswehr

The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....

 following service in World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 eventually commanding Mobilization District Wehrkreis IV by 1936. Promoted to generaloberst shortly after the start of World War II, Dollmann was given command of the German Seventh Army

German Seventh Army

The 7th Army was a World War I and World War II field army of the German land forces.-Origins:The 7th Army was activated in Stuttgart on August 25, 1939 with General Friedrich Dollmann in command. At the outbreak of the war, the 7th Army defended the German border and manned the Westwall in the...

 which he led during the six-week campaign against France. Assigned to occupation duty, Dollmann remained in France overseeing the defense of Brittany

Brittany

Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...

 and Normandy

Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

 in 1944. Expecting the Allied invasion in early June, Dollmann lowered the alert conditions after worsening weather conditions on June 4. Attending a map exercise during June 5–6, his command in Normandy took much of the early casualties during the initial Allied assault. Dollmann would continue to resist the Allied attack until his death on June 28, 1944, after learning he was going to be court martialed because of the fall of Cherbourg. Sources are not conclusive about the way Dollman died, some sources speak of a heart attack, others claim that he committed suicide by taking poison. He was succeeded by SS-Obergruppenführer

Obergruppenführer

Obergruppenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was first created in 1932 as a rank of the SA and until 1942 it was the highest SS rank inferior only to Reichsführer-SS...

 Paul Hausser

Paul Hausser

Paul "Papa" Hausser was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of lieutenant-general in the inter-war Reichswehr. After retirement from the regular Army he became the "father" of the Waffen-SS and one of its most eminent leaders...

.

Awards

• Iron Cross
  Iron Cross
  The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
  
   (1914) II. and I. Class
• Bavarian Prinz-Regent-Luitpold Jubiläums-Medaille mit der Krone (1905)
• Military Merit Order (Bavaria)
  Military Merit Order (Bavaria)
  The Bavarian Military Merit Order was established on July 19, 1866 by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. It was the kingdom's main decoration for bravery and military merit for officers and higher-ranking officials. Civilians acting in support of the army were also made eligible for the decoration...
  
   IV. Class with Swords (16 November 1914)
• Cross of Honor
  Cross of Honor
  The Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
  
  
• Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. to I. Class
• 1939 Clasp of the Iron Cross
  Iron Cross
  The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
  
   II. and I. Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
  The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
  
  
  • Knight's Cross (24 June 1940)
  • Oak Leaves (1 July 1944)