Peiper – War crimes on the Eastern Front – Cited Evidence?

[seaburn]

I have a Russian document which purports to be an account of the destruction of Jefremowka, Ukraine in February 1943 which mentions Jochen Peiper by name. This document however has to be viewed with scepticism as it has been criticised by translators as being contradictory and confused. The copy I have is also unsourced and undated. I translated a part as follows:

‘It was the newly formed SS Armoured Division (Adolf Hitler) has 90 units. Commanded units, occupied the village, Major Joachim Peiper (paper). From the side Paraskovja, about 16 hours included the first tanks white ‘Tigers’ ‘Ferdinands’…………. soldiers in white masks, gowns, with soldering lamps, burning houses, shot the remaining women and children, threw grenades into windows of houses and cellars were the villagers were hiding’

While I do believe there is a truth somewhere in the document, I cannot surmise to its extent. What is irrefutable is that the village of Jefremowka was destroyed and all inhabitants murdered on the 17th of February 1943. But I have grave doubt that Peiper was responsible, because as some of you will be aware, the evidence has overwhelmingly pointed to Kurt Meyer (LSAH) and his recon Btln. KM was placed in the village by the LSAH’s own records on that date, I had checked previously here on the forum if Peiper was also there on that date and it was confirmed that he was not.

The document does state however that the village changed hands 17 times over the course of the war, and while this may be an exaggerated figure it does leave the possibility that Peiper and his men were there on another occasion. I also find intriguing the fact that he is named personally in the document and that there is a description of soldiers with ‘soldering lamps’. But this may have been added well after the event by someone who was aware of the reputation of the btln.

I have of course read the three explanations for the ‘soldering lamps/Blow torch’ tag. The innocent one (blow torches were used to heat the armour in winter). The ‘grey area’ one (the night time attacks emitted sparks that set the thatch on house roofs alight) and of course the more sinister one (it was a badge of honour due to the destruction of villages and their populations). This latter one seems to be suggested by the evidence given below that coincidently I came across while researching another topic.


Firstly, here is evidence from a member of Peiper’s division, Sturnbannfuhrer Jacob Hanreich LSAH: Captured August 1944. Interrogation TS26/856-232

'II/2nd Btln were particularly eager to execute the order to burn villages. The Btln accomplished the burning by means of soldering lamps, and called itself the ‘soldering lamp Btln’. It was led by Stur. bannFue. Peiper who was later promoted to C.O. of Pz Regt LSAH'.


Secondly here is another Member of the Leibstandarte (LSAH): Schutze Captured Italy 1943. WO208/4138-3. (Tapping file. Recorded 12th February 1944)

'Blowlamp Battalion: They went out with Blowlamps and machine guns: they shot the civilians and set fire to the houses with their blowlamps. A large Blowlamp is painted on their vehicles. It has become a sort of badge and has become associated with bloody crimes'


As I have not read Peiper's bio, my question to anyone who has, is this: Is there any sourced documentation/books which specifically link Peiper to the destruction of named villages on the Eastern Front, or are these just ‘war crime whispers’ which have never be substantiated?

[Harro]

‘It was the newly formed SS Armoured Division (Adolf Hitler) has 90 units. Commanded units, occupied the village, Major Joachim Peiper (paper). From the side Paraskovja, about 16 hours included the first tanks white ‘Tigers’ ‘Ferdinands’…………. soldiers in white masks, gowns, with soldering lamps, burning houses, shot the remaining women and children, threw grenades into windows of houses and cellars were the villagers were hiding’

1) Peiper wasn't in Jefremowka on February 17, 1943, nor were any elements of his battalion
2) Meyer was, together with Wünsche, but their units didn't bring any of the LSSAH Tigers and the "Ferdinand" made its frontline debut four months later at Kursk, but the LSSAH never had any Ferdinands anyway.
3) Westemeier mentions that, within the scope of the Nuremberg Trial (IMT Vol. XX, p. 432) Peiper was accused of burning down the Russian towns of Staroverovka, Stanitschnoje and Jefrenovka and shooting the populations to death (Westemeier, English edition, p. 137). Peiper was explicitly named, but spoken of by units of the LSSAH. The burning and shooting was later confirmed by Hanreich, Rumpf and Zwigart, among others, with Zwigart pointing at Guhl as responsible for the shooting of civilians (NARA, RG 338. Entry 143. Box 32). Westemeier gived the date of the burning of Staroverovka as March 3 and the burning of Stanitschnoje as March 4, with Staroverovka being the first time blowtorches were used as flamethrowers. There is no mention by Westemeier of Peiper ever having been in Jefremowka.

[seaburn]

Thanks 'Harro' ..the information about the Tigers and Ferdinands is very interesting and further pours cold water on the reliability of the Russian document. So Peiper was not connected to Jefremowka by the Western Allies which corroborates our research into the events of Feb 17th. (I have seen this discussed on Russian language forums, the basis for these no doubt being this dubious document. I do think it will only be a matter of time before it trickles into the English language domain)

In relation to the other two villages. Jacob Hanreich stated as follows:

(i) STANITSCHNOJE, was burnt by the last party of the retreating LSAH, led by the then Standartenfuhrer WITT.

(ii) STAROVEROVKA was burnt by members of the 2 Regt, led by the then Standartenfuhrer WISCH (now Brig Fuehrer LSAH) . The civil population was evacuated earlier by the Feldgendarmerie to KRASNOGRAD.

(TS26/856 page 232)

So in this interrogation Hanreich does not mention Peiper in relation to any of the three villages but instead he is naming WITT AND WISCH here , was Peiper under their command ?

Have you seen these documents or does anyone have a copy of them ? Did Hanreich go to court and testify against Peiper?

[Harro]

Wisch was Peipers regimental commander at the time. Witt led the other Panzergrenadier-Regiment of the LSSAH. On March 3, 1943, Peiper's battalion launched a night attack on Staroverovka. For his description of the attacks on Staroverovka and Stanitschnoje, Westemeier refers to Oswald Siegmund: "Meine Ehre Heisst Treue", p. 54:
"Without orders to do so, on 3 March the blowtorches were broken out: the torches, which were used to preheat the engines of the vehicles, were turned into flame throwers. They spewed a jet of gasoline 8 to 15 meters long, and this was ignited, producing a jet of flame. Everyone feared a jet of flame, and the Russians in particular. In this way Stanichnoyed was attacked and taken on March 4."
Siegmund served in Peipers battalion in the 11. Kompanie led by Paul Guhl. As noted above, the same Paul Guhl Malmédy defendant Paul Zwigart held responsible for the killing of civilians (11. Kp. was renumbered 9. Kp. in 1944).

[seaburn]

Thanks 'Harro' .........Just trying to link what you have posted and what Hanreich said and I'm still slightly unclear on some on the points. Here's what I think we can deduce.

JEFREMOWKA: Peiper not involved.

STANITSCHNOJE: Hanreich claims this was WITT, you say that if that was the case, Peiper would not have been involved. Stanitschnoje seems to have been attacked the morning after Staroverovka using the same methods. But as per your post, PEIPER was accused of the destruction of ALL three as follows: .....'Westemeier mentions that, within the scope of the Nuremberg Trial (IMT Vol. XX, p. 432) Peiper was accused of burning down the Russian towns of Staroverovka, Stanitschnoje and Jefrenovka and shooting the populations to death (Westemeier, English edition, p. 137).

STAROVEROVKA: Hanreich mentions WISCH for this but claims the population had been evacuated previously. You confirm that Peiper was under the command of WISCH and that in Oswald Siegmund's book: "Meine Ehre Heisst Treue", (p. 54) He tells of a night time attack, (so making IMO Hanreich's assertion of previously clearing the population suspect). But it does not state here that the population were murdered wholesale,also if ZWIGART is to be believed it was GUHL and not PEIPER who was responsible for any killing that occurred here.


So in the cases of the three above mentioned, the only one (on the conflicting evidence so far) that PEIPER should be tied to is STAROVEROVKA but what I'm not really getting at the moment is whether Peiper was being accused of committing a 'war crime' in the style of Jefremowka (murdering inhabitants and burning buildings) or that his unit was more involved in burning the buildings' with perhaps some 'collateral damage' but not wholesale murder.

Here are some other questions I still have

1. Who was RUMPF and what was his evidence ?

2. Was Hanreich called to the stand to give evidence and does it match or contradict his interrogation ? (I have looked at his second interrogation from 1945, and he was not asked about these incidents, nor did he give any further information)

3. Paul Hausser was asked under oath about these villages but claimed to know nothing about them, was Peiper asked about them at his trial and if so what was his response?

4. Is there any evidence or suspicion published about other villages that Peiper may have destroyed on the E.F.?

5. Is there any independent evidence quoted anywhere as to the fate of the villagers in STAROVEROVKA?.... executed (per Zwigart)..... Evacuated (per Hanreich

6. Lastly, Have I interpreted this information correctly or am I missing something?

[Harro]

also if ZWIGART is to be believed it was GUHL and not PEIPER who was responsible for any killing that occurred here.

Note that in my opinion, Zwigart had reasons to shift the blame to Guhl: he and Peiper were imprisoned in Schwäbisch Hall and were about to stand trial for the Malmédy massacre and both faced capital punishment, Guhl was not (because he did not take part in the Ardennes Offensive). Two years later, in 1948, Zwigart declared that until now he had concealed everything that could become a charge against his former commanders (Case 6-24, RG 338, Box 14).

1. Who was RUMPF and what was his evidence ?

Erich Rumpf, SS-Ostuf and Malmédy defendant (like Peiper and Zwigart he was sentenced to death)

[seaburn]

Note that Zwigart had reasons to shift the blame to Guhl: he and Peiper were about to stand trial for the Malmédy massacre and both faced capital punishment, Guhl was not.

1. Who was RUMPF and what was his evidence ?

Erich Rumpf, SS-Ostuf and Malmédy defendant (sentenced to death)

Hmmm ......ok, so ZWIGART evidence appears to be contaminated but it would be interesting to have got GUHL'S rebuttal to this.......

RUMPF then I presume served with PEIPER.....if anyone has his evidence at the trial or any other evidence for crimes on the Eastern Front, I'd love to have a look through....

My own thoughts are that the 'blowtorch' insignia would not have been painted on the armour if there was only one village that Peiper et al have been involved in destroying......but the documented evidence against Peiper as discussed earlier is not as clear cut as I'd first thought..... There should be of course other evidence out there, so if anyone else has anything, please post.

[seaburn]

Hi 'Harro' just been trying to do a cursory research on this today....can you tell me if Jens Westemeier went into any detail on the allegations against Peiper on the Eastern Front...is there a chapter on it in his books ? I'm presuming Agte did not and Parkers previous book I believe was about Malmedy unless he gave some Eastern Front background too ? Tks

[Harro]

The above given info is all there is in Westemeier's book and I checked Parker's Fatal Crossroads but he does not have anything to add. I don't have Jens' doctorate thesis yet so I cannot check that for you.

Rumpf was Peiper's Pionierzug commander in the Ardennes. Would be interesting to learn amore about his post during the Charkow battles but my sources (Parker, Westemeier, Moore, Lehmann/Tiemann) contain no details on that.

[seaburn]

This is what I'm beginning to realise..... As a complete newbie to Peiper, I had assumed that the Eastern Front period would have been dissected and discussed to death, but it seems that only the surface has being scratched with the majority of discussion centred around 'Malmedy' and the Bulge ! This would have been excusable when the Iron Curtain still stood but 25 years later, more information should have come into the English language domain I would have thought.

I found the following on a Russian forum...I would rather not put up the link as I think its of a dubious nature. The following list was posted of men who were supposedly with Peiper in mid February 1943, I think the source of this list is Agte as he was mentioned earlier In the text. Can you confirm if this looks accurate. ?

Composition battle group "Piper" III-th Battalion pantsergrenadersky - Sturmbannführer Joachim "Jochen" Piper battalion commander - BTR 251/3 11 th company - Hauptsturmführer Paul Gul company commander - BTR 251/3 or 250/3 Command headquarters company - BTR 251/3 or 250/3 1st Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Rudi Wetzel platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251 / 1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 2nd Platoon - Dr. Obersturmfiihrer. Karl Doering platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251/1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 3rd Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Werner Wolf platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251/1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 heavy weapons platoon -??? Section heavy machine guns 1st branch - BTR (machine gun) 2nd department - BTR (machine gun) Section mortars 1st branch - BTR 251/2 (81mm mortar) 2nd department - BTR 251/2 (81mm mortar) 12th company - Obersturmfiihrer Lucas "Lux" Westrup company commander - BTR 251/3 or 250/3 Command headquarters company - BTR 251/3 or 250/3 1st Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Hans Schmidt platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251 / 10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251/1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 2nd Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Dieter Kohler Command with headquarters platoon - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251/1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 3rd Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Gerhard Babik platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 ( 37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251/1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 heavy weapons platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Otto Belko Section heavy machine guns 1st branch - BTR (machine gun ) 2nd department - BTR (machine gun) Section mortars 1st branch - BTR 251/2 (81mm mortar) 2nd department - BTR 251/2 (81mm mortar) 13th company - Obersturmfiihrer Otto Pinter company commander - BTR 251/3 or 250/3 Command headquarters company - BTR 251/3 or 250/3 1st Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Georg Preuss platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251 / 1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 2nd Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Heinz "Bubi" Tomhardt platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251/1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 3rd Platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Kurt Tumeyer platoon commander with headquarters - BTR 251/10 (37mm PAK 36) 1st branch - BTR 251 / 1 2nd branch - BTR 251/1 third branch - BTR 251/1 heavy weapons platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Joachim Kaden Section heavy machine guns 1st branch - BTR (machine gun) 2nd department - BTR (machine gun) Section mortars 1st branch - BTR 251/2 (81mm mortar) 2nd department - BTR 251/2 (81mm mortar) 14th heavy weapons company - Hauptsturmführer Rolf Kolitts platoon infantry guns - Untersturmfuhrer Erhard Notes BTR 251/4, towing leIG 18 (75mm) BTR 251/4 coupled leIG 18 (75mm) BTR 251/4 coupled leIG 18 (75mm) BTR 251/4 coupled leIG 18 (75mm) gun platoon - Untersturmfuhrer Erhard Gurs BTR 251/9 ( 75mm L/24) BTR 251/9 (75mm L/24) BTR 251/9 (75mm L/24) anti-tank platoon - Untersturmfuhrer David Margan BTR 251/4 coupled PAK 38 (50mm) BTR 251/4 coupled PAK 38 (50mm) BTR 251/4 coupled PAK 38 (50mm) Platoon military engineers - William Oberscharführer Hafershtroh BTR 251/5 BTR 251/5 BTR 251/5 BTR 251/5 Branch antitank guns - Hauptscharfuhrer Jochen Thiele BTR 250 anti-tank gun M51 250 APCs, anti-tank rifle M51 BTR 250 M51 anti-tank gun platoon 2 ACS "Shturmgeshutts" (7 self-propelled) 60 ambulances.

Ps Tks for looking for info !

[Rob - wssob2]

This is what I'm beginning to realise..... As a complete newbie to Peiper, I had assumed that the Eastern Front period would have been dissected and discussed to death, but it seems that only the surface has being scratched with the majority of discussion centred around 'Malmedy' and the Bulge ! This would have been excusable when the Iron Curtain still stood but 25 years later, more information should have come into the English language domain I would have thought.

You are absolutely correct. Most of what's been published in English about the Eastern Front is based on (frequently biased) German accounts, is very superficial and not cross referenced with former Soviet sources.

Hopefully the situation will improve over the next 25 years.

[seaburn]

25 years !! I'm far too impatient to wait that long ! I'm even too impatient to wait for Danny Parkers new Peiper Bio out in December. unfortunately I think that the first volume is not going to cover this time period. I'm still a bit dazed regarding the lack of published information out there. Trying to figure out a reason.....Is there no interest in that time period ? Or Have the authors researched it but come up with nothing ? I'm led to believe that Peiper has been researched at length so the second option does not seem likely....

There is information out there I'm sure of it. Schutze's overheard conversation being one of the little finds that might litter the archives, but I only found that while looking for something else....he was sure the Blowtorch btln were tainted....the problem is ..where to look ?

Although with the progress of technology, ie 'Google Chrome' which now automatically translates websites, hopefully this may turn up some vital piece of information for the Russian/Ukrainian side. Even the translation options will let you type In Russian characters and that's what I did last week on the document I had, it was amazing seeing the translation come out sentence by sentence... spine tingling !! Yes, I lead a sad life ! But I do feel empowered to search the Russian language sites now and see if I can dig something up, the only problem is that some of these villages are spelt differently and there are some local dialects that I cannot decipher but other forum members should be able to help with that.....

I would appeal to anyone again who has anything to add, please post.

[krichter33]

Unfortunately Malmedy is the main part of Peiper's life that has been dissected. But hopefully with the new research by Westemeier/Parker, and future research, more information about many of the more dubious actions of these units on the Eastern Front will come to light...Anyways, excellent thread!!!

[seaburn]

Just a small update...I have found a Russian sourced account of a battle in Staroverovka in early March 1943 involving the LSAH, but no mention at all of a massacre/atrocity of civilians. It looks like an engagement of Soviet army V German army. Still analysing it, will give full details presently. !

[Rob - wssob2]

Keep us posted!