help IDing this RKT please.

**history-buff1944** · 03-25-2009, 08:46 PM

Problem solved Gentlemen ;-))

The man in the photo above whose name is Tilman Kiwe-is also known as Eduard Kiefer who was a Luftwaffe Hauptmann and Chef of 2nd Panzeraufklarungsabteilung H.G for Hermann Goring Regiment. His final rank was Major and CO of H.G. Armored Recon Battalion.

History:

He was called into service on Oct 1st 1935, joined the Watch Battalion of General Goring Regiment as a Leutnant and was a Platoon Leader-served in Poland, Norway, France (in Gen Goring Rgmt's 16th Kompanie) being wounded in France. After recovering from his wound, he was assigned to the Staff of General Axthelm. He was promoted on July 1st 1940-to Oberleutnant.

He served in Russia in 1941 with the Fuhrer Escourt Battalions Battlegroup Bock-in the Ukraine. He fought in Vinnitsa, Zhitomir and Uman and was wounded again North of Uman on August 21-1941. On December 20-1941, he became the Adjutant of the Meindl Fallschirm Battlegroups 2nd Rifle Battalion-which took part in the Winter battles in front of Moscow.

At Chmelevka he was wounded again-promoted to Hauptmann on April 1st 1942, and already had been awarded his EKI and Silver Wound badge in the process. In May and June 1942, he attended a course on the command of Motorized Recon Units, in Wunsdorf. On July 26th, he joined the advance Battaion of the Hermann Goring Brigade as Commanding Officer of the Kradschutzen Kompanie. On December 1st 1942, he joined the H.G Armored Recon Battaion in Italy and later that month he was shipped to Tunisia.

The Battalion was deployed at Pont du Fahs. He and his company fought on the Pont du Fahs-Mateur Road. Additional forces were placed under his command and he and approximately 200+++ men occupied Djebal Achkel - which was one of the most important hill positions in Tunisia. They held there for over a week enduring heavy bombardments and fighting off enemy attacks.

He heard about the DAK surrender on May 11th-while still fending off enemy attacks. He then surendered on May 12th 1943 to the Americans. His Knights Cross was awarded to him on May 18th 1943, and on April 20th 1944, while still a PoW at the same camp, he heard about his promotion to Major for bravery in the face of the enemy.

Hope this helps?

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-25-2009 08:46 PM

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Wuerstenfuchs · 03-26-2009, 05:29 PM

Thanks a lot for the info. I wonder why his name Kiwe did not show up in my RKT records? Maybe he changed it to Kiwe after the war. I guess that was not an un-common thing. I have at least one other RKT with two names.

**Alan M** · 03-26-2009, 08:03 PM

great research HB44 and nice photo Odessa1

cheers Al

**history-buff1944** · 03-27-2009, 11:27 PM

Hi Odessa, I don't know why he has the name the way it's listed but-others such as Ernst Barkmann-are also listed with other "surnames" or variants of their names. His is also-or could also be listed as Ernst Schmuck-Barkmann instead of just Ernst Barkmann. Believe it or not but, a good friend of mine who lives in the State of Washington is related to Ernst Barkmann. He wrote him a letter a few years ago showing proof they were related and Ernst Barkmann sent him as a gift-his SS Collartabs.

I almost forgot to mention that there are somewhere around another 10-20 names listed in Fellgiebels book that show the variants. One thing that eludes me getting an answer too-is that Josef "Sepp" Allerbergers name is not listed in his book and possibly others?

Odessa, Allerberger--quite welcome and glad to help ;-)) If I can ever get set up with a computer os my own I can help out much more no prob ;-))

Wuerstenfuchs · 03-27-2009, 11:33 PM

I wonder if I wrote to Herr Barkmann and told him he was my father if he would send me his tunic! I would settle for his dagger

**history-buff1944** · 03-30-2009, 11:54 PM

You might give him a try-and also offer him a few

and he might just give you not only hs tunic-but his Tank as well ;-D

**Paul D** · 03-31-2009, 11:04 AM

Great research work Carl

Good to have you and your knowledge here with us.

**history-buff1944** · 04-01-2009, 03:38 PM

Hi Paul, thank you Mate and I have to give all credit to Walther-Peer Fellgiebel and Franz Kurowski. I was lucky that I had their books to cross-referance with ;-)) Sometime soon, I will have that ability with all RKTs, DKiGTs, CCC in Goldts, and the PLM guys ;-D

PS, they don't call me History Detective fer nothin' :-D

Wuerstenfuchs · 04-01-2009, 03:50 PM

by history-buff1944

Hi Paul, thank you Mate and I have to give all credit to Walther-Peer Fellgiebel and Franz Kurowski. I was lucky that I had their books to cross-referance with ;-)) Sometime soon, I will have that ability with all RKTs, DKiGTs, CCC in Goldts, and the PLM guys ;-D

PS, they don't call me History Detective fer nothin' :-D

Here is a foto of Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, from my personal collection. He is now dead. He was only a Major, but I see his name A LOT in connection with RKT. I guess he wrote a book on RKT, although I have never seen it.

**history-buff1944** · 04-01-2009, 04:02 PM

Hi Odessa, thanks for showing a photo of him. Your correct though, and he wrote a book detailing every RKT - which you can still buy from Andre Heusken if you want a copy? Im thinking about ordering a 2nd copy because the one I now have is getting well-abused and dirty, marked up and such-thanks to research and making notations about things. Also, if you buy this book-make sure you get a copy with the red cover and not the green one because the green one is the older book and is full of errors and many names not listed that should have been. Also, the red edition still does not list Sepp Allerberger as an RKT.