World War II Nazi German Army Officer. He was one of the foremost German armor leaders in World War II. He served in the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" on the Eastern and Western Fronts with distinction, winning the Knights Cross with Oakleaves and Swords. His panzer regiment spearheaded the German attack in the northern sector of the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) in December 1944, making a deep penetration before superior US units forced it to retreat. During this offensive soldiers of Peiper's kampfgruppe (battle group) were involved in the killing of American POWs that came to called the "Malmedy Massacre." After the war Peiper was tried by an American War Crimes Tribunal. Although it was not proved that he ordered the execution of POWs, or that he even knew it had occured until later, he was convicted and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and he was finally released in 1956. He lived out much of his later years in seclusion in the small village of Traves in northeast France. On the night of 13-14 July 1976 his house was firebombed and Peiper died defending himself. His killers (alleged to be French Communists) were never caught or tried.
World War II Nazi German Army Officer. He was one of the foremost German armor leaders in World War II. He served in the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" on the Eastern and Western Fronts with distinction, winning the Knights Cross with Oakleaves and Swords. His panzer regiment spearheaded the German attack in the northern sector of the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) in December 1944, making a deep penetration before superior US units forced it to retreat. During this offensive soldiers of Peiper's kampfgruppe (battle group) were involved in the killing of American POWs that came to called the "Malmedy Massacre." After the war Peiper was tried by an American War Crimes Tribunal. Although it was not proved that he ordered the execution of POWs, or that he even knew it had occured until later, he was convicted and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and he was finally released in 1956. He lived out much of his later years in seclusion in the small village of Traves in northeast France. On the night of 13-14 July 1976 his house was firebombed and Peiper died defending himself. His killers (alleged to be French Communists) were never caught or tried.
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