Friedrich Fromm

Friedrich Fromm is the main antagonist of the 2008 blockbuster film/documentary, Valkyrie.

Appearance
While Adolf Hitler was more evil than Fromm in the film Valkyrie, Fromm is the true main antagonist of the film. Fromm is based on the real person of the same name. Fromm is played in the film by English actor Tom Wilkinson.

As in real life, in the film, Fromm joins a conspiracy with the film's protagonist, Claus Von Stauffenberg, albeit reluctantly. Fromm is the head of the military and is in charge of overseeing operations for the Nazi Party. Stauffenberg is a colonel & general in the army who is conspiring to kill Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in an assassination attempt. Fromm reluctantly sets up a meeting with the Fuhrer to give Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators a chance to assassinate him. When the first attempt on July 15th, 1944, fails, Fromm warns the conspirators to not make another attempt on Hitler's life. However, on July 20th, 5 days later, Fromm receives word that Hitler survived a secondary assassination attempt, and realizes that his signature was forged on a document permitting Operation Valkyrie. Upon realizing that the conspirators violated his order, he tries to arrest Stauffenberg and the conspirators for treason. However, he is detained by the conspirators and the military who is duped into thinking that Hitler is dead.

However, the coup fails when the Nazis realize Hitler is alive and Stauffenberg and the co-conspirators are arrested and detained. Fromm, in an attempt to protect his life from arrest and cover up his involvement, performs an impromptu court-martial for the conspirators and sentences most of them to death. His last appearance is in the ending of the film when he oversees the executions of the conspirators, along with Stauffenberg.

Execution
As in real life, Fromm's actions do not save him. It is quickly discovered that Fromm knew about the conspiracy but failed to prevent it. Fromm is court-martialed as well and executed for failing to report and prevent the coup. He is executed in March, 1945, about a few months before the surrender of Germany.