Joachim 'Jochen' Peiper remains one of the most enigmatic figures of World War II. Rising through the ranks of the pre-war Waffen-SS, he fought on all fronts with the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler and spearheaded the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge at age 28. The discovery of over a hundred dead American prisoners in the village of Malmedy along Peiper's li Joachim 'Jochen' Peiper remains one of the most enigmatic figures of World War II. Rising through the ranks of the pre-war Waffen-SS, he fought on all fronts with the Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler and spearheaded the German offensive during the Battle of the Bulge at age 28.
The discovery of over a hundred dead American prisoners in the village of Malmedy along Peiper's line of advance after the Bulge battle eclipsed all of his other battlefield deeds, and led to Peiper forever being associated with the largest atrocity on the Western Front.Sentenced to death after the war, an investigation by no less than Joseph McCarthy into prosecutorial misconduct at his trial led to commutation of Peiper's sentence. Finally released after 16 years' imprisonment, Peiper's reputation continued to dog him for the remaining 15 years of his life. Drawing on European contacts and conversations with Peiper himself before his mysterious death in 1976, Charles Whiting reveals many details about Peiper's career and the Malmedy trial that are not widely known in the United States. I'm a historian buff (yeah, one of those).
I've read numerous books by Charles Whiting and kept most of them.Joachim Peiper was a fascinating person so much I've read 3 books about him, and several others with his actions in the war mentioned. I learned about him at first in Time Life Books about WWII, a series I managed to collect and still have. Later, I learned he was portrayed by Robert Shaw in the movie classic 'Battle of the Bulge.' What I found most interesting about Peiper was how an int I'm a historian buff (yeah, one of those).
I've read numerous books by Charles Whiting and kept most of them.Joachim Peiper was a fascinating person so much I've read 3 books about him, and several others with his actions in the war mentioned. I learned about him at first in Time Life Books about WWII, a series I managed to collect and still have.
Joachim Peiper Wikipedia
Later, I learned he was portrayed by Robert Shaw in the movie classic 'Battle of the Bulge.' What I found most interesting about Peiper was how an intelligent, capable man who proved to be a highly-adept soldier could be so cruel and warped into believing the Nazi cause. Whiting's book brings to light how before he became a battle-hardened soldier, he was Himmler's personal adjutant, thus making him privy to what was going on in the Nazi death camps.
An American soldier captured during the Battle of the Bulge recalled Peiper as being fluent in English (I believe he also spoke French and Russian), telling the American prisoner how he believed in the Nazi cause and was sure they would whip the Allies. This, after the defeat in Stalingrad, North Africa, and Normandy. I found that amazing how an educated man could lie to himself so.At one point in Russia his unit was referred to as the 'Blowtorch Battalion,' for having burned 2 Russian villages to the ground with its inhabitants inside. Then he received the Knight's Cross, Germany's highest award for bravery, for having rescued 1,500 German soldiers encircled by Russian troops.The man was so dedicated a Nazi that Hitler appointed him the point-man for the attack during the Battle of the Bulge, known as the largest battle on the Western Front during the war, and the largest battle ever fought by the American Army. Peiper's advance was so swift and brutal that had they crossed the bridge at La Gleize it's possible the war could've been extended throughout 1945.
I've been led to believe in recent history books that it's unlikely the Allies would've sued for peace, because their resources would've allowed them to counter-attack at one point and recapture the strategic port of Antwerp (had the Germans managed to actually capture it, which they didn't). Even German history books quote German generals skeptical about the attack and verifying how they would be unable to hold for long any captured territory.In Whiting's book you learn about Peiper's career from beginning, through peace, war, and the trail itself. Members of the SS killed nearly 100 American prisoners at Malmedy, eventually known as the Malmedy Massacre. When it was learned what happened, ironically morale in the American offer stiffened.
This was contrary to what Hitler thought would happen, for he believed a swift and brutal campaign would cause American soldiers to crumble. In the end, the Allies won the battle and the war.Peiper was arrested and put to trial for the actions of his men, despite he wasn't at the massacre at Malmedy, nor was there proof of any kind he issued the order to kill prisoners of war. As commander he was convicted and sentenced to death, but America needed support from Germany now that the Cold War was heating up.
His sentence was commuted to life, he served around 20 years. Whiting follows Peiper's career after the war and there are pictures detailing his accounts. I enjoyed this book so much I kept it in my personal collection and plan on reading it again.
I highly recommend this book. You will enjoy it whether you like history or not.David Lucero, author. The British historian who wrote this book pointed out irregularities in the investigation and trial againt Peiper for war crimes after the war.
His stance is that Peiper was probably innocent of personally committing any wrongdoing or ordering others to murder surrendered troops or civilians. He spent a good amount of time telling the story of the trial and of those who stood trial with him.Clearly there was some wrongdoing during combat operations in Beligum that they accused Peiper of being r The British historian who wrote this book pointed out irregularities in the investigation and trial againt Peiper for war crimes after the war. His stance is that Peiper was probably innocent of personally committing any wrongdoing or ordering others to murder surrendered troops or civilians. He spent a good amount of time telling the story of the trial and of those who stood trial with him.Clearly there was some wrongdoing during combat operations in Beligum that they accused Peiper of being responsible for. However, there was also similar issues with US troops killing surrendered troops and their leadership were not held responsible.The book covers the career of Peiper. Noting that while a member of the SS armed forces (actual military battle troops not police or prison guards) Peiper never actually joined the Nazi party. Peiper was sentenced to death.
Then as some of the details of the trial came out and because of how the trial was based on information gotten by torture and threats his sentence was commuted to life and then after 13 years in jail he was released. His defense attorney never forgot how unfair the trial was and spent years in the US trying to overturn the verdict against him including spending a great deal of his own money on Peiper's behalf.The things written about him as a murderer however reamained firmly in the public. The other side of the story as this author points out was not published. Peiper got several jobs and was a good worker but several times ended up being hounded out of his job because people would figure out his background and the accusations against him and complain to the company he worked for.
Joachim Peiper Trial By Fel Pro
He finally retired to a small villiage in France working on translating English books into German when he was attacked one night, killed, and had his house burned down on top of him. Fortunately he had sent his wife away because of threats he had recieved prior to the incident. The author complained that his killers were never brought to justice and that the French authorities didn't try very hard to figure out who was responsible.
A video presentation about the life and times of Joachim Peiper.-Messerschmitt presents the second video in his series on Axis WarHeroes, this time on Joachim Peiper. He started out in an SS cavalryunit and Schmitt reads out a report from the time detailing his highpoints, before going through all the promotions he received and why hewas given them. We then learn that it was France who declared war onGermany and not the other way around and we even see a news reportconfirming this, with French riding back across the border on stolenGerman bicycles.Peiper distinguished himself on the Eastern Front, deploying the Panzersunder his command as if they were cavalry and his tactics with thetanks showed how accurate the earlier SS assessment of him was. He wascaptain of one of the units that won back Kharkov in Ukraine from theSoviets and he also rescued a convoy of ambulances from 30 miles behindRussian lines. The bridge had been destroyed there but Peiper was ableto get them across on the ice, although the tanks were too heavy, so heand his men had to make their own way back through the enemy lines.After hearing more of the battle to liberate the city and seeing thetanks in action, we learn the incredible odds that were stacked againsthim before Schmitt gives us some more anecdotes from the battle ofKursk.
Eventually he became a commander and he continued in this rankuntil the end of the war, where he captured four Soviet headquarters. Hewas sent to Belgium in 1944 and lost a quarter of his tanks and menwhile trying to get to the front to repel the allies. He would winanother medal in the battle of the bulge before taking part in one lastaction in Hungary before the end of the war, but while retreating toAustria he heard about the loss of the Fuhrer.After being captured by the Allies he was tortured to get a confessionout of him and we see footage of the trial and of the Jewish torturer.He was given the death sentence, but because he had been tortured, thiswas eventually reduced to life imprisonment. He was released after 11years and ended up working for Porsche, but Communists forced him out ofhis job and he moved to France.
He had a good life there, but onceagain Communists found out where he and his wife were living and theykilled his dogs, before burning the house down with him inside it.Nobody was ever charged, no effort was made to bring his murderers tojustice, but we do have an epitaph for him in the form of a letter thathe wrote while in prison, which sings the praises of the brave young menwho saved western Europe from the Bolshevik hordes. The Waffen SS werethe first real Europeans, their race united them rather than theirnations and they gave their lives that the rest of us might be sparedfrom Communism.-No copyright infringment of any kind is intended. The video footage onlyserves to illustrate and educate.
No money will ever be made of this.