Baron Lajos Dolmán de Szolnok
Known as the “Butcher of Bastogne” to the French, Lajos Dolmán is a man whose reputation is both well-storied and divisive. Born in 1889, he was raised lavishly in the Hungarian countryside. From a young age the future baron desired military command. His time at Ludovica Defense Academy garnered him a fierce persona, incredibly friendly with his friends and classmates, but verbose with anyone who slighted him. One particular incident at Ludovica resulted in an extended infirmary visit for Lajos, and a hospital visit for the two subjects of his ire. Given that the young baron beat the other boys with his sheathed saber, he was slated for severe punishment after his recovery, but ultimately his station got him out of trouble.
Upon graduation, he enlisted with Imperial 1st Hussars and quickly received honors for his performance in drills. In 1914, he participated in a special military operation to suppress riots across Bosnia and Serbia. His performance in this campaign allowed him to meteorically rise through the ranks, especially after the events of June 28th. While stationed in Sarajevo, Lajos was granted the rare privilege to drive the visiting Archduke Franz Ferdinand through the city. An assassin would attempt to shoot the Archduke, only failing due to the car’s shield generator. Rather than quickly speed away to ensure the safety of his charge, the Baron spun out the car, slamming the vehicle into the would-be assassin. While he was highly commended for his bravery in defending him, Franz-Ferdinand personally was disturbed by how candidly the young baron dispatched his assassin, running him back over with the car after he was already down.
Baron Lajos was one of many officers who resisted the slow transition away from traditional cavalry in the Empire. As a hussar, the idea of trading out the saddle for a tank was an affront to his traditionalist pride. That said, as his own unit’s stables were being decommissioned, he tried his best to embrace the new equipment, employing older cavalry tactics to revolutionize tank warfare.
At the outbreak of the war, the now Colonel Dolmán was put under the command of Prince Heinrich, commanding the 1st Hussars. He had a huge disdain for his French opposition, and found their anti-aristocratic rhetoric a blatant attack on the rule of law. He was particularly riled by the presence of the revolutionary “celebrity” Major Marie Courtemanche, who had deployed alongside French tanks to shore defenses against his advance. Her status as not only a woman in command, but one of a classless ‘peasant’ deeply offended his sentiments, and any future encounter between his troops and her own were with extreme prejudice.
In recent days the Baron has earned his new nickname, “The Butcher of Bastogne”. After the encirclement of the 1st Army Group at Luxembourg, he was deployed to cover their northern flank. Upon hearing rumors that Major Courtemanche was moving with troops near the town of Bastogne, he immediately ordered a full charge to head off the reinforcements. While his quarry was not there, he did manage to surround the bulk of the enemy force. As they attempted to surrender, the Colonel was quoted as saying, “Surrender is for the men who fight for a sovereign state, not an unruly mob of thieves and beggars.” He promptly ordered his troops to close in and fire.
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