Peiper in Italy

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Birgitte Heuschkel
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Peiper in Italy

#1

Post by Birgitte Heuschkel » 17 Nov 2002, 18:33

We've all read about Malmédy and argued over whether Peiper was guilty as charged or not -- but recently a documentary on Discovery Channel referred extremely briefly to an incident which should have occurred while the LSSAH was stationed in Italy for rest and refitting, a "shooting of Jews".

Does anyone know anything about this?

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#2

Post by David Thompson » 17 Nov 2002, 20:27

Birgitte -- Peiper's 3rd SS Panzer-Grenadier Battalion was transferred from the Kursk salient to Italy in late Jul 1943. In Sept 1943 the battalion was stationed in the province of Cuneo, south of Turin. On 19 Sept 1943 Italian partisans kidnapped 2 non-commissioned officers from Peiper's unit near Boves. Peiper shelled the town with self-propelled 150mm artillery, killing 34. The Italians wanted Peiper prosecuted in 1968, but the Stuttgart magistrate decided that there was insuffient evidence. There was another case that year in which 5 LAH members were convicted at Osnabrueck for the murder of Jews living on Lake Maggiore, also in Sept 1943. (The Devil's Adjutant pp. 31-2). The case is reported on the JuNSV (Justiz und NS-Verbrechen) website as:

Verfahren Lfd.Nr.685
Tatkomplex: Andere Massenvernichtungsverbrechen
Angeklagte:
Krü., Hans Willi Walter Verfahren eingestellt
Lei., Ludwig Otto Verfahren eingestellt
Röh., Hans Friedrich Verfahren eingestellt
Schn., Karl Reinhold Herbert Verfahren eingestellt
Schu., Oskar Verfahren eingestellt
Gerichtsentscheidungen:
LG Osnabrück 680705
BGH 700317
Tatland: Italien
Tatort: Arona, Baveno, Meina, Mergozzo, Orta, Stresa
Tatzeit: 4309
Opfer: Juden
Nationalität: Italienische
Dienststelle: Waffen-SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler
Verfahrensgegenstand: Eigenmächtige Verhaftung und Erschiessung von insgesamt 22 italienischen Juden in mehreren Teilaktionen am Lago Maggiore

Veröffentlichung in Vorbereitung

This case gets mentioned in Peiper biographies, but I don't know whether or not Peiper or his command had any involvement in the murders.


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Lupo Solitario
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#3

Post by Lupo Solitario » 19 Nov 2002, 00:03

The LSSAH was trasferred in italy after Kursk to take control of the country in case of italian armistice. When it happened (september 8th, 1943) the LSSAH crushed easily the weak italian garrisons in northwestern italy between september 8th and 13th. But many groups of italian soldeirs reached to avoid capture and escape on alpine areas. In particular, a group was joining near the little village of Boves to organize resistance. A couple of german scouts was captured by italians. Peiper reached Boves and ordered village priest to call for restiution of prisoniers.
Notwithstanding the priest had obtained the liberation of two SS. Peiper ordered to destroy Boves anyway. The priest and the village major were burnt alive.
BTW, partisan forces suffered no harm. The Boves area continued to be one the most strong position of italian resistance until end of war
Italian justice tried to trial Peiper after war without success

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Birgitte Heuschkel
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#4

Post by Birgitte Heuschkel » 19 Nov 2002, 06:46

Given he was in custody at the time, how come Italy couldn't get him extradicted?

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#5

Post by David Thompson » 19 Nov 2002, 07:28

Birgitte -- West Germany wouldn't extradite any German citizen. Here are some other examples:

Heusinger, Adolf (sought by USSR)
Hohenzollern , Dr. rer. pol. August Wilhelm Heinrich Guenther Viktor Prinz von Preussen "Auwi" (sought by East Germany)
Kipp, Abraham (sought by Netherlands)
Lammerding, Heinz (sought by France and Great Britain)
Lischka, Dr. Kurt (sought by France)

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Birgitte Heuschkel
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#6

Post by Birgitte Heuschkel » 19 Nov 2002, 07:35

Ah, so Italy made the request after Germany got control of its war criminals' fates. Righto. That'd explain it. I had the idea, somehow, that the request was made pretty much two seconds after judgement was passed in the Malmédy trials.

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Peiper in Italy

#7

Post by tomalbright » 21 Nov 2002, 21:58

From Charles Whiting's Biography (not in the Agte book, probably for his own ideological reasons!) In Northern Italy 1943. Peiper learned a small group of german jews were rounded up by the
italian fascists and were to be deported to a german concentration camp. when jochen discovered the jews were from berlin (jochen's birthplace) he decided to save them. Peiper demanded the jews be released to him, and saw to it that they found their way to safety. they eventually relocated to israel. after the war when Jochen was in prison, the german jewish rabbi wrote a testimonial to Peiper's kindness in providing for their escape. One condition, Peiper asked that the kantor in the group sing Jewish songs in front of the billet of a local Nazi party official whom Peiper disliked. An interesting example of the conflicting complexities surrounding the personality of this controversial officer. He alternately antagonized and charmed both friend and foe throughout his life. No Oskar Schindler, Peiper, as Himmler's adjutant on two rotations, saw the dark side of the SS more than most other W-SS commanders..In MacLean's "The Camp Men" there is a photo of him with Himmler visiting KL Dachau in January 1941. Yet few Waffen SS commanders, no matter what their motives, would have done this in 1943.

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#8

Post by Rick-rs » 21 Nov 2002, 22:26

If I may add aldo off topic,the way he took responsability during the Malmedy trial for his men,aldo it was proven that he was nowhere near Baugnez,still serves as an example for commanders.

Cheers Rick

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#9

Post by Timo » 21 Nov 2002, 23:43

The attack on Bovez was not a reaction to Hscha. Wiezoreck and Uscha. Bonhoff being held hostage because, as stated above, they were released by the Italians prior to the attack. Peipers men acted out of anger because men of Ostuf. Dinse, one of Peipers Kompanieführer, were shot at, resulting in several wounded and one dead:

Nachname: Steinmetz
Vorname: Willi
Dienstgrad: Sturmmann
Geburtsdatum: 15.12.1923
Geburtsort: Marktsteft
Todesdatum: 19.09.1943
Todesort: Booes
Willi Steinmetz ruht auf der vom Volksbund hergerichteten Kriegsgräberstätte in Costermano (Italien) .
Endgrablage: Block 5 Grab 1715

The Italians opened fire despite a chease fire situation as negotiations about the hostages were proceeding.

Yet, angry or not and despite the Italians ignoring the chease fire, the LAH was wrong in killing civilians in Bovez. It was clear that Steinmetz was shot by Italian soldiers, not by the civilians who became innocent victims to their rage.

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#10

Post by Birgitte Heuschkel » 22 Nov 2002, 00:00

Demanding the rabbi sing... Man, that's just so much in character for Peiper. :lol:

You're right, Timo, there is no justification for shelling a town full of civilians. Do you know who gave the actual order? It'd be a fair assumption that it was Peiper, was it not for Malmédy where he, as also reminded of above, took responsibility for his mens' actions even if he wasn't there.

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