Pols Armāns

Pols Armāns (known also as "Major Greiser"), whose true name was Pauls Tiltiņš ( – 7 August 1943) was a Soviet officer and the first Red Army tankman to be awarded with title of Hero of Soviet Union. His brother was Alfred Tilton, a Soviet spy and bearer of Order of Lenin.

Biography Armans was born at April 4 [ O.S. March 22] 1903 in Mittelhof estate, Courland Governorate, Russian Empire (now Vidusmuiža, Sesava Parish, Jelgava Municipality, Latvia) in a peasant's family. In 1919 he entered the Komsomol, and in 1920 he became member of the Communist Party. He served for some time in the Latvian Army, in Riga and Daugavpils, in 1923 he enrolled into the University of Latvia. In 1925-1926 he lived in France, studying in École Polytechnique, where he obtained documents on the name of Pols Armāns.

Armans showed outstanding boldness, initiative and composure in action. He participated in the first tank battle of Soviet tanks.

After the Spanish Civil War In January 1937 Armans returned to Soviet Union, he was promoted to major and assigned as commander to 5th Mechanized Brigade. On 5 February 1937, he participated in a conference in Kremlin, dedicated to experience of Spanish Civil War, giving a speech on the lessons of Soviet tank usage. Soon after this Armans was arrested and charged with espionage,