Tiger Command!

by Bob Carruthers

  Tiger tank drills were especially difficult to render into English. The mnemonic rhyme Mo-Fu-Fa-La-Ba called by the crew is the first word of the checks which were run through to ensure that the hatches were closed, the lamps removed and the track clear before firing; the German words were Motor, Funker, Farher, Lampen, Bahn. The Tigerfibel is a genuine war time publication and the German original can be found on the web. Really curious readers can also acquire the new translation which sets the original German alongside a complete English translation.

  I’m pleased to report that Die Wundertüte is a real war time publication. I understand that extracts from this charming little publication will soon be available for viewing on the forthcoming Ritter von Krauss site.

  Panzertruppenschule Kama, or KAMA for short, was a top-secret research and training facility, located near Kazan in the USSR. It was jointly operated by the Soviets and Germans between 1926 and 1933. Oberstleutnant Malbrandt was the Reichswehr officer who selected the location for the training and testing of military technology. The site was chosen to be as far away as possible from the prying eyes of League of Nations inspectors. It was a school for the study and development of armoured warfare. KAMA was the short form codename created by the fusion of words Kazan and Malbrandt. KAMA came out of the brief period of Russo-German cooperation that was agreed upon as a part of the Treaty of Rapallo of 1922, and the Berlin Friendship Treaty of 1924.

  Between 1926 and 1929, at least 146 German officers are known to have completed training at the Panzertruppenschule Kama. A great many more NCOs and perspective officers received clandestine assistance. The most famous “graduate” of KAMA was Ewald von Kleist, future Generalfeldmarschall Reichswehr.

  Generaloberst Lutz and NKVD Kommissar Josef Unshlicht were jointly responsible for conducting the training. Security for the facility was provided by troops of the NKVD. Several armoured fighting vehicles were developed at Kama, developed under the alias of agricultural tractors. The German companies Rheinmetall-Borsig, Krupp and Daimler Benz were responsible for most of the development. The preliminary work at Kama resulted in the designs for the Panzer I, II, III and IV. The training and development which took place at Kama made the Panzerwaffe a reality.

  For more information about Tiger Tanks and Ritter von Krauss, visit www.tiger-command.com