Joachim Peiper

Joachim Peiper (1915 - 1976) more often known as Jochen Peiper from the common German nickname for Joachim; born on January 30, 1915, was a senior Waffen-SS officer and commander in the Panzer campaigns of 1939-1945.

Related Topics:
1915 - 1976 - January 30 - Waffen-SS - Panzer

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Peiper was recruited into the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1935 upon his graduation from college. Sepp Dietrich reviewed his application and admitted him into the 1st SS "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler " honor guard regiment, which was re-formed as a Waffen-SS combat unit at the outbreak of war. Initially he served as an Adjutant on Heinrich Himmler's staff before moving onto command various Panzer units within 1st SS "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". Himmler was particularly fond of Jochen Peiper and took a keen interest in Peiper's ascension towards command. At age 29 Peiper was a full colonel of the Waffen-SS, well respected and a holder of one of wartime Germanys highest decorations, the Knight's Cross with Swords personally awarded him by Adolf Hitler.

Related Topics:
SS-Verfügungstruppe - Sepp Dietrich

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Peiper was a skilled combat leader and took part in a number of major Panzer battles of the war. Peiper participated in some of the most notable battles of the war to include the two battles for Kharkov and the Kursk offensive of 1943 on the Eastern Front of Russia. Most notably, he commanded the LSSAH (assigned to the 6th SS Panzer Korps under Sepp Dietrich) during Operation Wacht am Rhein (Battle of the Bulge). Kampfgruppe Peiper advanced to the town of La Gleize, Belgium, before being turned back by American forces. Peiper was forced to abandon over a hundred vehicles in the town, including six Tiger II tanks, and made his way back to German lines with 800 men on foot.

Related Topics:
Sepp Dietrich - Battle of the Bulge - La Gleize - Belgium

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After the end of World War II, Peiper and other members of the Waffen-SS were tried for war crimes in the Malmédy Massacre Trial, found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.

Related Topics:
World War II - War crime - Malmédy Massacre Trial - Hanging

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Due to issues with the case against them, many confessions had been coerced by the use of mock hangings and beatings of the prisoners, the sentences of many of the Malmedy defendants were later commuted to life and then to time served, and Peiper was released on parole from prison at the end of December 1956, after serving 11 1/2 years, much in solitary confinement.

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After release Peiper eventually went to live in Travès, Haute-Saône, France, and supported himself as a translator. Peiper was murdered in a fire attack on his house on July 13, 1976. The attackers were never prosecuted, but were suspected to be French Communists.

Related Topics:
Travès - Haute-Saône - France - Fire - July 13 - 1976 - Communists

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