Charlene & Friedhelm Dohmann

Friedhelm Dohmann grew up in a family of non-believers. Germans, after living through the lies of fascism and the hurtful human loss of the second world war, were not willing to believe in anything spiritual. His mother pregnant with him endured the horrendous firestorm following the two bombing raids of Dresden in the night of February 13 and 14, 1945. Nearly 800 British aircraft dropped more than 2,600 tons of bombs and some 300 American Flying Fortress bombers followed the next morning. Thirteen square miles of the city's historic center were destroyed, and officially at least 45,000 people were killed. Unofficial counts claim 250,000 victims.

Friedhelm's mother like thousands of undocumented refugees pushed through Dresden towards the West by the Russians, remained four weeks blind, blinded by the smoke, heat and debris of the firestorm. She survived and her first son was born September 15, 1945 a day after her first wedding anniversary. Considering what they went through they named him "Friedhelm - Protector of Peace".

Both of his parents, his mother protestant - his father new-apostolic, left the cover of their church communities under political pressure in the early thirties and did not return. Nevertheless, they gave their first born to the Lord by offering Friedhelm the decision to seek Him at the young age of 12. Following two years of training, he was water-baptized on April 3, 1960 and confirmed on April 10, 1960 with the reference to Eph 4:15.

His Church, ink on paper 16x12, Friedhelm Dohmann, 1956
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Isa 2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

After studying architecture at the HFB in Hagen, Germany, Friedhelm studied politics and philosophy at Munich's College for Jesuits. The college nourished his enthusiasm for the great German reformers and philosophers, as well as his love of the arts. His interest in Photography started at the young age of 14. Early portraits and snapshots of family members show his photo-technical knowledge and a remarkable eye for lighting and framing the object.

In the Seventies, Friedhelm worked in music, film and documentary-TV productions for the Bavarian Film Studios, the ZDF German Television and Bavarian TV and Radio. He assisted in shows with Liza Minelli, The Rolling Stones, and Monty Python's Flying Circus to name a few. Contact with popular personalities enlarged his outlook, while managing traveling production crews refined his organizational talents. In 1981, just after his arrival in the US, Friedhelm produced live shows like equestrian events, open air concerts and the Sawdust Festival for Laguna TV one of the nations first public access channel in Laguna Beach, Southern California.

Born again in 1976 Friedhelm felt led to leave his home country and the constraints of a traditional church to serve Him overseas. In 1983 he and his wife Charlene returned from Europe to Beaufort, South Carolina, when PTL recommended to attend the services of Spoken Word Outreach Ministries.

Friedhelm and Charlie own CompuSol a creative service company, specializing in digital imaging and video graphics. Charlie is the editor of a monthly 100-page full-color magazine for Sun City Hilton Head while Friedhelm, after building local TV Ministries, instructs and trains volunteers in camera handling, live switching and post production. "I give thanks to God the Father and will praise Him forever. His love guided me through human experiences and interaction which created knowledge and wisdom for works in His honor." Friedhelm Dohmann, March 2002.

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