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[[File:Peiper1. | [[File:Peiper1.png|thumb|300px|Joachim Peiper]] | ||
'''Joachim „Jochen“ Sigismund Albrecht Klaus Arwed Detlef Peiper''' (b. 30 January 1915 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf; d. 13 July 1976 in Traves, [[France]]) was a [[Germans|German]] officer of the [[SS]] and [[Waffen-SS]] in [[World War II]]. By the end of his military career in 1945, Peiper was the youngest regimental colonel in the Waffen-SS, holding the rank of [[SS-Standartenführer]]. He also served as personal adjutant to [[Reichsführer SS]] [[Heinrich Himmler]] in the period April 1938 to August 1941. | '''Joachim „Jochen“ Sigismund Albrecht Klaus Arwed Detlef Peiper''' (b. 30 January 1915 in [[Berlin]]-Wilmersdorf; d. 13 July 1976 in Traves, [[France]]) was a [[Germans|German]] officer of the [[SS]] and [[Waffen-SS]] in [[World War II]]. By the end of his military career in 1945, Peiper was the youngest regimental [[colonel]] in the Waffen-SS, holding the rank of [[SS-Standartenführer]]. He also served as personal adjutant to [[Reichsführer SS]] [[Heinrich Himmler]] in the period April 1938 to August 1941. | ||
[[File:Joachim Peiper mit seinem Vater Woldemar Peiper (1878-1960) und seinem Bruder Horst Peiper (1912-1941) zum Julfest, Berlin 1939. | [[File:Joachim Peiper mit seinem Vater Woldemar Peiper (1878-1960) und seinem Bruder Horst Peiper (1912-1941) zum Julfest, Berlin 1939.png|thumb|300px|Joachim Peiper with his father Hauptmann (later Major) Woldemar Peiper (1878-1960)<ref>[https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Peiper,_Woldemar Woldemar Carl Gustav Adolf Peiper]</ref> and his brother SS-Untersturmführer (at last SS-Hauptsturmführer) Horst Peiper (1912-1941)<ref>[https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Peiper,_Horst Horst Eberhard Gustav Ludwig Wolfgang Christian Gotthold Peiper]</ref> at Christmas in Berlin 1939]] | ||
==Military Career== | ==Military Career== | ||
[[File:Paul Guhl Jochen Peiper Werner Wolff Reggio march aug1943 1. | [[File:Paul Guhl Jochen Peiper Werner Wolff Reggio march aug1943 1.png|thumb|300px|SS-Hauptsturmführer [[Paul Guhl]], SS-Sturmbannführer Jochen Peiper and SS-Untersturmführer [[Werner Wolff]] in Reggio Emilia, Italy in August 1943]] | ||
[[File:Tiger II mit der Nummer 222 unter SS-Unterscharfführer Kurt Sowa von der schweren SS-Panzerabteilung 501, Ardennen 1944. | [[File:Tiger II mit der Nummer 222 unter SS-Unterscharfführer Kurt Sowa von der schweren SS-Panzerabteilung 501, Ardennen 1944.png|thumb|300px|[[Tiger II]] of the 501st ss heavy panzer battalion from the ''Kampfgruppe „Peiper“''; riding along are [[German paratroopers|Fallschirmjäger of the Luftwaffe]] during the [[Ardennes Offensive]].]] | ||
[[File:SS-Standartenführer a. D. Joachim Peiper mit seiner Frau Sigurd (Sigi), Sohn Hinrich und Tochter Elke, Tochter Silke fehlt, ca. 1957. | [[File:SS-Standartenführer a. D. Joachim Peiper mit seiner Frau Sigurd (Sigi), Sohn Hinrich und Tochter Elke, Tochter Silke fehlt, ca. 1957.png|thumb|300px|Joachim Peiper with his wife Sigurd "Sigi", son Hinrich and daughter Elke (daughter Silke is probably taking the picture), c. 1970]] | ||
[[File:Joachim Peiper and Fritz Kosmehl, 1972. | [[File:Joachim Peiper and Fritz Kosmehl, 1972.png|thumb|300px|Joachim Peiper and his comrade Fritz Kosmehl, his former tank radio operator (wounded and blind), c. 1970 (other sources state 1972)]] | ||
[[File:Grab-Peiper. | [[File:Grab-Peiper.png|thumb|300px|Grave of the family in Unterschondorf am Ammersee, Landkreis Landsberg am Lech ([[Bavaria]])]] | ||
===Induction into Waffen-SS=== | ===Induction into Waffen-SS=== | ||
Peiper was recruited into the [[SS-Verfügungstruppe]] in 1933. [[Sepp Dietrich]] reviewed his application and admitted him into the [[Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler]] (LSSAH) honour guard regiment. In 1935 Peiper attended the SS officer's training school (Junkerschule) at Braunschweig, and was commissioned the following year. Peiper was appointed adjutant to Heinrich Himmler in April 1938, and held this position until August 1941, except for a period during the Battle of France (1940) in which he was detached for combat service. | Peiper was recruited into the [[SS-Verfügungstruppe]] in 1933. [[Sepp Dietrich]] reviewed his application and admitted him into the [[Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler]] (LSSAH) honour guard regiment. In 1935 Peiper attended the SS officer's training school (Junkerschule) at Braunschweig, and was commissioned the following year. Peiper was appointed adjutant to Heinrich Himmler in April 1938, and held this position until August 1941, except for a period during the [[Battle of France]] (1940) in which he was detached for combat service. | ||
While on Himmler's staff, Peiper met and married his wife, Sigurd, with whom he had three children: Heinrich, Elke, and Silke. Himmler was particularly fond of Peiper and took a keen interest in his ascension towards command. By age 29, Peiper was a full colonel of the Waffen-SS, well respected and a holder of one of wartime Germany's highest decorations, the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords personally awarded to him by [[Adolf Hitler]]. | While on Himmler's staff, Peiper met and married his wife, Sigurd, with whom he had three children: Heinrich, Elke, and Silke. Himmler was particularly fond of Peiper and took a keen interest in his ascension towards command. By age 29, Peiper was a full colonel of the Waffen-SS, well respected and a holder of one of wartime Germany's highest decorations, the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords personally awarded to him by [[Adolf Hitler]]. | ||
===Eastern Front=== | ===Eastern Front=== | ||
Peiper returned to frontline duty in late [[1941]] during the war against the Soviet Union. he moved on to command various infantry and [[panzer]] units within the Leibstandarte, by now expanded to a full division. Peiper was a skilled combat leader, and took part in several major battles on the Eastern Front, notably the battles for [[Kharkov]] -- where he earned particular distinction -- and the [[Kursk]] offensive of [[1943]]. | Peiper returned to frontline duty in late [[1941]] during the war against the [[Soviet Union]]. he moved on to command various infantry and [[panzer]] units within the Leibstandarte, by now expanded to a full division. Peiper was a skilled combat leader, and took part in several major battles on the [[Eastern Front]], notably the battles for [[Kharkov]] -- where he earned particular distinction -- and the [[Kursk]] offensive of [[1943]]. | ||
===Battle of the Bulge=== | ===Battle of the Bulge=== | ||
In [[1944]], he commanded "Kampfgruppe Peiper" of the [[Leibstandarte]] division (assigned to the [[Sixth SS Panzer Army]] under [[Sepp Dietrich]]) during the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. Peiper advanced as far as the town of La Gleize, [[Belgium]], before running out of fuel and coming under heavy fire from American artillery and tanks. He 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. | In [[1944]], he commanded "Kampfgruppe Peiper" of the [[Leibstandarte]] division (assigned to the [[Sixth SS Panzer Army]] under [[Sepp Dietrich]]) during the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. Peiper advanced as far as the town of La Gleize, [[Belgium]], before running out of fuel and coming under heavy fire from [[American]] artillery and tanks. He 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. | ||
In the early days of this campaign, his unit was involved in firefight with an American unit, which gave rise to the "[[Malmedy massacre]]" hoax. | In the early days of this campaign, his unit was involved in firefight with an American unit, which gave rise to the "[[Malmedy massacre]]" hoax. | ||
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===Outpouring of Sympathy=== | ===Outpouring of Sympathy=== | ||
The sentences generated significant controversy in Germany (with the church requesting his release) and in the USA. The commander of the U.S. Army in [[Germany]] was thus led to commute the death sentences of Peiper and his co-accused to life imprisonment. In addition, the Germans' defense attorney, U.S. military attorney Lt. Col. Willis M. Everett, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming that the defendants had been found guilty by means of "illegal and fraudulently procured confessions" and were subjected of a [[mock trial]]. His claims touched off a major scandal. | The sentences generated significant controversy in Germany (with the church requesting his release) and in the USA. The commander of the U.S. Army in [[Germany]] was thus led to commute the death sentences of Peiper and his co-accused to life imprisonment. In addition, the [[Germans]]' defense attorney, U.S. military attorney Lt. Col. Willis M. Everett, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming that the defendants had been found guilty by means of "illegal and fraudulently procured confessions" and were subjected of a [[mock trial]]. His claims touched off a major scandal. | ||
===Release=== | ===Release=== | ||
Ultimately, the sentences of the Malmedy defendants were commuted to life imprisonment and then to time served. Peiper himself was released from prison on parole at the end of December 1956, after serving 11 and a half years. Peiper has also been accused of, but never prosecuted for, the [[Boves massacre]] in [[Italy]] on September 8, 1943. In 1968, the German Minister of Justice declared that there was no objective basis to prosecute Peiper, and the case was dismissed on December 23, 1968. As the unit was an elite unit used in pro-German propaganda, claims of atrocities by the unit also had great anti-German propaganda value. | Ultimately, the sentences of the Malmedy defendants were commuted to life imprisonment and then to [[time]] served. Peiper himself was released from prison on parole at the end of December 1956, after serving 11 and a half years. Peiper has also been accused of, but never prosecuted for, the [[Boves massacre]] in [[Italy]] on September 8, 1943. In 1968, the German Minister of [[Justice]] declared that there was no [[objective]] basis to prosecute Peiper, and the case was dismissed on December 23, 1968. As the unit was an elite unit used in pro-German [[propaganda]], claims of atrocities by the unit also had great [[anti-German]] propaganda [[value]]. | ||
After release from prison, Peiper worked for both Porsche and Volkswagen. | After release from prison, Peiper worked for both Porsche and Volkswagen. | ||
==Assassination== | ==Assassination== | ||
In 1972, Peiper went to live in Traves, Haute-Saône, [[France]], and supported himself as a translator of English-language military books into [[German language|German]]. In 1974, he was identified by a former [[Communist]] resistance member of the region who issued a report for the French Communist Party. In 1976, a Communist historian, investigating the Gestapo archives, found the Peiper file. Peiper received threats that his house would be burned down and his dogs killed. On receipt of these threats, Peiper, sent his family to Germany. He himself remained in France, arming himself with a shotgun and accompanied by his dog. | In 1972, Peiper went to live in Traves, Haute-Saône, [[France]], and supported himself as a translator of English-language military books into [[German language|German]]. In 1974, he was identified by a former [[Communist]] resistance member of the region who issued a report for the [[French]] Communist Party. In 1976, a Communist historian, investigating the [[Gestapo]] archives, found the Peiper file. Peiper received threats that his house would be burned down and his dogs killed. On receipt of these threats, Peiper, sent his family to Germany. He himself remained in France, arming himself with a shotgun and accompanied by his dog. | ||
During the night of 13/14 July 1976 (Bastille Day), Peiper's home was attacked. In the ruins, Peiper's charred corpse was found. Attackers had thrown firebombs, including at least one Molotov cocktail, at the house to start the fire, which arson specialists found had been set in three locations at once. The police investigation concluded that Peiper had died of smoke inhalation while attempting to save valuables and firing on his attackers. All three of Peiper's dogs had been wounded by the attackers. The armed gang, that murdered Peiper, calling itself "The Avengers", were never identified, but were suspected to be French [[Communists]]. | During the night of 13/14 July 1976 (Bastille Day), Peiper's home was attacked. In the ruins, Peiper's charred corpse was found. Attackers had thrown firebombs, including at least one Molotov cocktail, at the house to start the fire, which arson specialists found had been set in three locations at once. The police investigation concluded that Peiper had died of smoke inhalation while attempting to save valuables and firing on his attackers. All three of Peiper's dogs had been wounded by the attackers. The armed gang, that murdered Peiper, calling itself "The Avengers", were never identified, but were suspected to be French [[Communists]]. | ||
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* '''Elke''' (b. 7 July 1940), Linguist and Professor in Munich | * '''Elke''' (b. 7 July 1940), Linguist and Professor in Munich | ||
* '''Hinrich''' (b. 14 April 1942), Lawyer, among others places at Dresdner Bank in Frankfurt am Main; from 2003 "General Manager of the New York Branches" and thus direct contact of Dresdner Bank for the US supervisory authorities; ∞ Dorothee Riegraf (1948–2019); hoems in New York, Frankfurt, Berlin, they finally lived in 88175 Scheidegg (Am Sonnenhang 5), a licensed Kneipp cure spa and open-air health resort, and were renowned art collectors and museum sponsors. | * '''Hinrich''' (b. 14 April 1942), Lawyer, among [[others]] places at Dresdner Bank in Frankfurt am Main; from 2003 "General Manager of the New York Branches" and thus direct contact of Dresdner Bank for the US supervisory authorities; ∞ Dorothee Riegraf (1948–2019); hoems in New York, Frankfurt, Berlin, they finally lived in 88175 Scheidegg (Am Sonnenhang 5), a licensed Kneipp cure spa and open-air health resort, and were renowned art collectors and museum sponsors. | ||
* '''Silke''' (b. 7 March 1944), lived in Hamburg and was a businesswoman in Frankfurt; ∞ textile merchant in 1972 | * '''Silke''' (b. 7 March 1944), lived in Hamburg and was a businesswoman in Frankfurt; ∞ textile merchant in 1972 | ||
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Peiper himself remained unrepentant about his past to the end of his life, saying: | Peiper himself remained unrepentant about his past to the end of his life, saying: | ||
* "I was a [[National-Socialist]] and I remain one...The Germany of today is no longer a great nation, it has become a province of Europe." | * "I was a [[National-Socialist]] and I remain one...The Germany of today is no longer a great [[nation]], it has become a province of [[Europe]]." | ||
* "I recognize that after the [[Invasion of Normandy|battles of Normandy]] my unit was composed mainly of young, fanatical soldiers. A good deal of them had lost their parents, their sisters and brothers [[Allied Terror Bombing|during the bombing]]. They had seen for themselves in Cologne, thousands of mangled corpses after a terror raid had passed. Their hatred for the enemy was such; I swear it and I could not always keep it under control." | * "I recognize that after the [[Invasion of Normandy|battles of Normandy]] my unit was composed mainly of young, fanatical soldiers. A good deal of them had lost their parents, their sisters and brothers [[Allied Terror Bombing|during the bombing]]. They had seen for themselves in Cologne, thousands of mangled corpses after a terror raid had passed. Their hatred for the enemy was such; I swear it and I could not always keep it under control." | ||
* "Imagine yourself acclaimed, a decorated national hero, an idol to millions of desperate people, then within six months, condemned to death by hanging." | * "Imagine yourself acclaimed, a decorated national hero, an idol to millions of desperate [[people]], then within six months, condemned to death by hanging." | ||
* "It's so long ago now. Even I don't know the truth. If I had ever known it, I have long forgotten it. All I know is that I took the blame as a good commanding-officer should have been, and was punished accordingly." -- Peiper on the Malmedy incident, excerpted from "A Traveler's Guide to the Battle for the German Frontier" by Charles Whiting | * "It's so long ago now. Even I don't know the [[truth]]. If I had ever known it, I have long forgotten it. All I know is that I took the blame as a good commanding-officer should have been, and was punished accordingly." -- Peiper on the Malmedy incident, excerpted from "A Traveler's Guide to the Battle for the German Frontier" by Charles Whiting | ||
* "My men are the products of total war, grown up in the streets of scattered towns without any education. The only thing they knew was to handle weapons for the Reich. They were young people with a hot heart and the desire to win or die: right or wrong – my country. When seeing today the defendants in the dock, don't believe them to be the old Kampfgruppe Peiper. All of my old friends and comrades have gone before. The real outfit is waiting for me in Valhalla." | * "My men are the products of total war, grown up in the streets of scattered towns without any education. The only thing they knew was to handle weapons for the Reich. They were young people with a hot heart and the desire to win or die: right or [[wrong]] – my country. When seeing today the defendants in the dock, don't believe them to be the old Kampfgruppe Peiper. All of my old friends and comrades have gone before. The [[real]] outfit is waiting for me in [[Valhalla]]." | ||
* "History is always written by the victor, and the histories of the losing parties belong to the shrinking circle of those who were there." | * "[[History]] is always written by the victor, and the histories of the losing parties belong to the shrinking circle of those who were there." | ||
==SS-Promotions== | ==SS-Promotions== | ||
| Line 101: | Line 101: | ||
** Though there is no documentation of him receiving this award for 75 engagements, there are several formal photographs of him wearing the award as an Obersturmbannfuhrer. One of Peiper's uniforms, on display at the [[Virginia War Museum]], bears the Tank Badge with "50". This uniform bears the rank insignia of an Obersturmbannführer, so Peiper could have earned a higher grade of the award before the war was over. | ** Though there is no documentation of him receiving this award for 75 engagements, there are several formal photographs of him wearing the award as an Obersturmbannfuhrer. One of Peiper's uniforms, on display at the [[Virginia War Museum]], bears the Tank Badge with "50". This uniform bears the rank insignia of an Obersturmbannführer, so Peiper could have earned a higher grade of the award before the war was over. | ||
* [[Eastern Front Medal]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Winterschlacht_im_Osten_(Medaille) ''Ostmedaille'']) on 1 September 1942 | * [[Eastern Front Medal]] ([https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Winterschlacht_im_Osten_(Medaille) ''Ostmedaille'']) on 1 September 1942 | ||
* [[German Cross in Gold]] on 6 May 1943 as SS-Sturmbannführer] and commander of the III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" | * [[German Cross in Gold]] on 6 May 1943 as SS-Sturmbannführer] and commander of the III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12 "Leibstandarte SS [[Adolf]] [[Hitler]]" | ||
* [[Tank Destruction Badge]] (21 July 1943) | * [[Tank Destruction Badge]] (21 July 1943) | ||
* [[Close Combat Clasp]] | * [[Close Combat Clasp]] | ||
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[[Category:Assassinations]] | [[Category:Assassinations]] | ||
[[Category:Pages with broken file links]] | |||
[[Category:WWAC]] | |||
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Latest revision as of 03:50, 29 February 2024
File:Peiper1.png
Joachim Peiper
Joachim „Jochen“ Sigismund Albrecht Klaus Arwed Detlef Peiper (b. 30 January 1915 in Berlin-Wilmersdorf; d. 13 July 1976 in Traves, France) was a German officer of the SS and Waffen-SS in World War II. By the end of his military career in 1945, Peiper was the youngest regimental colonel in the Waffen-SS, holding the rank of SS-Standartenführer. He also served as personal adjutant to Reichsführer SS Heinrich Himmler in the period April 1938 to August 1941.
_und_seinem_Bruder_Horst_Peiper_(1912-1941)_zum_Julfest,_Berlin_1939.png){kind=link}
Military Career
File:Paul Guhl Jochen Peiper Werner Wolff Reggio march aug1943 1.png
SS-Hauptsturmführer Paul Guhl, SS-Sturmbannführer Jochen Peiper and SS-Untersturmführer Werner Wolff in Reggio Emilia, Italy in August 1943
File:Tiger II mit der Nummer 222 unter SS-Unterscharfführer Kurt Sowa von der schweren SS-Panzerabteilung 501, Ardennen 1944.png
Tiger II of the 501st ss heavy panzer battalion from the Kampfgruppe „Peiper“; riding along are Fallschirmjäger of the Luftwaffe during the Ardennes Offensive.
File:SS-Standartenführer a. D. Joachim Peiper mit seiner Frau Sigurd (Sigi), Sohn Hinrich und Tochter Elke, Tochter Silke fehlt, ca. 1957.png
,_Sohn_Hinrich_und_Tochter_Elke,_Tochter_Silke_fehlt,_ca._1957.png){kind=link}
Joachim Peiper with his wife Sigurd "Sigi", son Hinrich and daughter Elke (daughter Silke is probably taking the picture), c. 1970
File:Joachim Peiper and Fritz Kosmehl, 1972.png
Joachim Peiper and his comrade Fritz Kosmehl, his former tank radio operator (wounded and blind), c. 1970 (other sources state 1972)
File:Grab-Peiper.png
Grave of the family in Unterschondorf am Ammersee, Landkreis Landsberg am Lech (Bavaria)
Induction into Waffen-SS
Peiper was recruited into the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1933. Sepp Dietrich reviewed his application and admitted him into the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) honour guard regiment. In 1935 Peiper attended the SS officer's training school (Junkerschule) at Braunschweig, and was commissioned the following year. Peiper was appointed adjutant to Heinrich Himmler in April 1938, and held this position until August 1941, except for a period during the Battle of France (1940) in which he was detached for combat service.
While on Himmler's staff, Peiper met and married his wife, Sigurd, with whom he had three children: Heinrich, Elke, and Silke. Himmler was particularly fond of Peiper and took a keen interest in his ascension towards command. By age 29, Peiper was a full colonel of the Waffen-SS, well respected and a holder of one of wartime Germany's highest decorations, the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves and Swords personally awarded to him by Adolf Hitler.
Eastern Front
Peiper returned to frontline duty in late 1941 during the war against the Soviet Union. he moved on to command various infantry and panzer units within the Leibstandarte, by now expanded to a full division. Peiper was a skilled combat leader, and took part in several major battles on the Eastern Front, notably the battles for Kharkov -- where he earned particular distinction -- and the Kursk offensive of 1943.
Battle of the Bulge
In 1944, he commanded "Kampfgruppe Peiper" of the Leibstandarte division (assigned to the Sixth SS Panzer Army under Sepp Dietrich) during the Battle of the Bulge. Peiper advanced as far as the town of La Gleize, Belgium, before running out of fuel and coming under heavy fire from American artillery and tanks. He 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.
In the early days of this campaign, his unit was involved in firefight with an American unit, which gave rise to the "Malmedy massacre" hoax.
Post War Imprisonment
Malmedy Trial
- See full article at Malmedy massacre
After the end of World War II, Peiper and other members of the Waffen-SS were tried for alleged crimes at Malmedy. Peiper volunteered to take all the blame if the court would set his men free; the court refused. Peiper as commanding officer was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, as were many of his men. He then requested that his men be executed by firing squad; this request was also denied.
Outpouring of Sympathy
The sentences generated significant controversy in Germany (with the church requesting his release) and in the USA. The commander of the U.S. Army in Germany was thus led to commute the death sentences of Peiper and his co-accused to life imprisonment. In addition, the Germans' defense attorney, U.S. military attorney Lt. Col. Willis M. Everett, appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court claiming that the defendants had been found guilty by means of "illegal and fraudulently procured confessions" and were subjected of a mock trial. His claims touched off a major scandal.
Release
Ultimately, the sentences of the Malmedy defendants were commuted to life imprisonment and then to time served. Peiper himself was released from prison on parole at the end of December 1956, after serving 11 and a half years. Peiper has also been accused of, but never prosecuted for, the Boves massacre in Italy on September 8, 1943. In 1968, the German Minister of Justice declared that there was no objective basis to prosecute Peiper, and the case was dismissed on December 23, 1968. As the unit was an elite unit used in pro-German propaganda, claims of atrocities by the unit also had great anti-German propaganda value.
After release from prison, Peiper worked for both Porsche and Volkswagen.
Assassination
In 1972, Peiper went to live in Traves, Haute-Saône, France, and supported himself as a translator of English-language military books into German. In 1974, he was identified by a former Communist resistance member of the region who issued a report for the French Communist Party. In 1976, a Communist historian, investigating the Gestapo archives, found the Peiper file. Peiper received threats that his house would be burned down and his dogs killed. On receipt of these threats, Peiper, sent his family to Germany. He himself remained in France, arming himself with a shotgun and accompanied by his dog.
During the night of 13/14 July 1976 (Bastille Day), Peiper's home was attacked. In the ruins, Peiper's charred corpse was found. Attackers had thrown firebombs, including at least one Molotov cocktail, at the house to start the fire, which arson specialists found had been set in three locations at once. The police investigation concluded that Peiper had died of smoke inhalation while attempting to save valuables and firing on his attackers. All three of Peiper's dogs had been wounded by the attackers. The armed gang, that murdered Peiper, calling itself "The Avengers", were never identified, but were suspected to be French Communists.
Family
File:Dorothee Peiper-Riegraf (1948–2019).png
.png){kind=link}
Dorothee Peiper-Riegraf (1948–2019), son Hinrichs wife and mother of his children, Joachim's grandchildren.
Marriage
Jochen Peiper had two brothers: Hans-Hasso (1910–1942) and SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Horst Peiper (1912–1941). Jochen married his fiancée Sigurd "Sigi" Hinrichsen (1912–1979) on 29 June 1939 (other sources claim September 1939). Sigi was one of Himmler’s personal secretaries and a close friend of Hedwig Potthast, Himmler's mistress. They had three children:
- Elke (b. 7 July 1940), Linguist and Professor in Munich
- Hinrich (b. 14 April 1942), Lawyer, among others places at Dresdner Bank in Frankfurt am Main; from 2003 "General Manager of the New York Branches" and thus direct contact of Dresdner Bank for the US supervisory authorities; ∞ Dorothee Riegraf (1948–2019); hoems in New York, Frankfurt, Berlin, they finally lived in 88175 Scheidegg (Am Sonnenhang 5), a licensed Kneipp cure spa and open-air health resort, and were renowned art collectors and museum sponsors.
- Silke (b. 7 March 1944), lived in Hamburg and was a businesswoman in Frankfurt; ∞ textile merchant in 1972
Quotations
Peiper himself remained unrepentant about his past to the end of his life, saying:
- "I was a National-Socialist and I remain one...The Germany of today is no longer a great nation, it has become a province of Europe."
- "I recognize that after the battles of Normandy my unit was composed mainly of young, fanatical soldiers. A good deal of them had lost their parents, their sisters and brothers during the bombing. They had seen for themselves in Cologne, thousands of mangled corpses after a terror raid had passed. Their hatred for the enemy was such; I swear it and I could not always keep it under control."
- "Imagine yourself acclaimed, a decorated national hero, an idol to millions of desperate people, then within six months, condemned to death by hanging."
- "It's so long ago now. Even I don't know the truth. If I had ever known it, I have long forgotten it. All I know is that I took the blame as a good commanding-officer should have been, and was punished accordingly." -- Peiper on the Malmedy incident, excerpted from "A Traveler's Guide to the Battle for the German Frontier" by Charles Whiting
- "My men are the products of total war, grown up in the streets of scattered towns without any education. The only thing they knew was to handle weapons for the Reich. They were young people with a hot heart and the desire to win or die: right or wrong – my country. When seeing today the defendants in the dock, don't believe them to be the old Kampfgruppe Peiper. All of my old friends and comrades have gone before. The real outfit is waiting for me in Valhalla."
- "History is always written by the victor, and the histories of the losing parties belong to the shrinking circle of those who were there."
SS-Promotions
- SS-Anwärter 16 October 1933
- SS-Mann 23 January 1934
- SS-Sturmmann 7 September 1934
- SS-Rottenführer 10 October 1934
- SS-Unterscharführer 1 March 1935
- SS-Standartenjunker 11 September 1935
- SS-Standartenoberjunker 5 March 1936
- SS-Untersturmführer 20 April 1936
- SS-Obersturmführer 30 January 1939
WWII
- SS-Hauptsturmführer 6 June 1940
- SS-Sturmbannführer 30 January 1943
- SS-Obersturmbannführer 11 November 1943
- SS-Standartenführer 20 April 1945
Awards and decorations
- German Equestrian Badge in Bronze
- Dress Formal Dining Award
- Life Saving Award in Gold (Rettungsmedaille)
- DLRG badge of the German Life Saving Association (Abzeichnen der Deutschen Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft)
- SS-Ehrendegen, 1936
- Anschluss Medal (Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938)
- Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle Bar (Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange „Prager Burg“)
- SS-Honour Ring
- SA Sports Badge (SA-Sportabzeichen) in Bronze
- SS Long Service Award in 4 and 8 years
WWII
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (31 May 1940)
- 1st Class (12 July 1940)
- Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze (7 September 1940)
- Panzer Badge (Panzerkampfabzeichen des Heeres) in Silver (50, maybe 75)
- Though there is no documentation of him receiving this award for 75 engagements, there are several formal photographs of him wearing the award as an Obersturmbannfuhrer. One of Peiper's uniforms, on display at the Virginia War Museum, bears the Tank Badge with "50". This uniform bears the rank insignia of an Obersturmbannführer, so Peiper could have earned a higher grade of the award before the war was over.
- Eastern Front Medal (Ostmedaille) on 1 September 1942
- German Cross in Gold on 6 May 1943 as SS-Sturmbannführer] and commander of the III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
- Tank Destruction Badge (21 July 1943)
- Close Combat Clasp
- in Bronze (7 September 1943)
- in Silver (20 October 1943)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 9 March 1943 as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander of the III.(gepanzert)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
- According to Scherzer as commander of the III.(gepanzert)/2. Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
- 377th Oak Leaves on 27 January 1944 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
- 119th Swords on 11 January 1945 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
- Knight's Cross on 9 March 1943 as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander of the III.(gepanzert)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"
Further reading
- Han Bouwmeester: Beginning of the End – The Leadership of SS Obersturmbannfuhrer Jochen Peiper, 2004
- Jens Westemeier: Himmlers Krieger – Joachim Peiper und die Waffen-SS in Krieg und Nachkriegszeit, 2014