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.
Peiper was recruited into the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1935 upon his graduation from college. Sepp Dietrich reviewed his application and admitted him into the "Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler" honor guard regiment, which was re-formed as a Waffen-SS military unit at the outbreak of war. At age 29 Peiper was a full colonel of the Waffen-SS and a holder of the Knight's Cross with Swords. He was a skilled leader and took part in a number of major Panzer battles of the war.
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.
Due to issues with the case against them, 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.
After release Peiper eventually went to live in Traves , Haute-Saône, France, and supported himself as a translator. Peiper was killed in a attack on his house on July 13-14 1976. The attackers were never prosecuted, but were suspected to be French Communists.
Quotations by Jochen Peiper
- "Imagine yourself acclaimed, a decorated national hero, an idol to millions of desperate people, then within six months, condemned to death by hanging."
Reference
- Agte, Patrick (2000). Jochen Peiper: Commander Panzerregiment Leibstandarte. J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0921991460
- Reynolds, Michael (2004). The Devil’s Adjutant: Jochen Peiper, Panzer Leader, Casemate Publishers and Book Distributors; Pbk edition. ISBN 1862271569
