Rudolf von Eschwege

Rudolf von Eschwege ( born February 27, 1895 in Bad Homburg, † November 21, 1917 at Orljak, Macedonia ) was a highly excellent German fighter pilot in World War II.

Life

He came from the Hessian Uradelsgeschlecht of Eschwege and was the son of the first marriage of the meadow Baule Hrers Wilhelm von Eschwege (1864-1920) and Louise Thomas (* 1869). His parents' marriage was in 1910 divorced. Then his father married in 1913 Therese Maa from Bohemia. Rudolf von Eschwege attended a grammar school in Freiburg. After completing his schooling he joined as a trooper in the military service. He reported in 1915 for the Air Force. In August, he was transferred as a pilot for the Flying Section 36 to the Western Front. In 1916, he had already achieved two victories, when he was sent to Feldfliegerabteilung 66 to the front in Macedonia. Again in the Fliegerabteilung 30 he made in 1917 at the German and Bulgarian soldiers as " Eagle of the Aegean" a name when he won a further 18 air victories, and it did so in spite of malaria on a total of 20 air victories. On November 21, 1917 Rudolf von Eschwege attacked a British captive balloon. As Eschwege targeted the goal lit the ground crew of No.. 17 Balloon Section of the RFC tore a 250- kg explosive charge in the balloon basket, the Eschwege Halberstadt single-seat fighter in the air.

The British buried with military honors by Eschwege and threw photographs of his tomb on the German airfield in Drama from. In a condolence letter stated: "To the Bulgarian- German Air Corps in Drama The officers of the Royal regret Air Corps determine that Lieutenant Rudolf von Eschwege was killed while attacking the balloon His personal belongings are thrown in the next few days over the lines. .. . " From the Bulgarian side, a monument to the fallen airmen there was built.