Tankink - dutch pilot in Luftwaffe?

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, guys!

For some reason the name Tankink which I came across today seems Dutch to me... am I right?

Anyone know if Fw Ewald Tankink was of Dutch origin?

Regards,
Andreas B

[Jaap Woortman]

Andreas,

In my database of Dutch persons who has been in the Luftwaffe is no Tankink.
This could mean that he is missing in my database or he is not Dutch.
Bram Tankink is the name of a Dutch racing cyclist. Maybe that's why
the name sounds familiar to you?
Bram Tankink is from the Almelo-Enschede area, not far from the German border.
There was an Ewald Tankink in Schl. G. 1.
Do you have more information about the Ewald Tankink you have come accross?

Jaap

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Jaap!

It was Ewald Tankink from Schl.G.1 I was referring to, and you are probably right that it was the racing cyclist that made the mental connection.

Will try to find out if he was of dutch origin.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Jaap and Andreas,

I just noticed this posting about Ewald Tankink. After his time with Sch.G. 1, he served with II./Sch.G. 2 in the Mediterranean theatre in 1943. I can confirm that he was German, although he lived only twenty kilometres from the Dutch border. He passed away a couple of years ago.

Cheers,
Andrew A.

Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

[Jaap Woortman]

Thanks Andrew,

It's a problem I have had several times. Many family names in these border areas are the same on the German and the Dutch side of the border.
So I have to be careful in my research and have to check every name that comes across.

Jaap