After the German failure at Kursk, which had emboldened the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini's opponents, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS was sent to Northern Italy to reinforce German forces and for security duties. It was transferred from the Kursk salient in late July 1943. During this period, the 28-year-old SS-Sturmbannführer
Joachim Peiper's battalion was involved in several skirmishes with Italian partisans. On one occasion, Peiper was met by an Italian officer who warned that his forces would attack unless Peiper's unit immediately vacated the Province of Cuneo. Peiper refused, which as intended goaded the Italians into attacking. The Italians were no match for the Eastern Front veterans of the Leibstandarte SS who defeated them and then proceeded to disarm the remaining Italian forces in the area. In Sept. 1944 an incident in the village of Boves took place that is known as the
Boves massacre. Two of Peiper's NCOs had been kidnapped and were held by partisans in the vicinity of Boves. Peiper reacted characteristically by leading his battle-hardened SS grenadiers to the rescue. On arrival a fire fight took place and the Leibstandarte SS shelled the village. Peiper's men were freed, but some 20 civilians died in the process. In Dec. 1968, an Italian court decided that there was insufficient evidence for a war crimes case and German District Court in Stuttgart reached the same conclusion, terminating any potential prosecution of Peiper. During its brief period in Northern Italy, the Leibstandarte SS was reformed as a full panzer division, and redesignated
1.SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte SS. In early Nov. 1943, the division was ordered back to Ukraine and the
Eastern Front of the Axis. Top clip: SS-Hauptsturmführer Paul Guhl, SS-Sturmbannführer Joachim Peiper and SS-Untersturmführer Werner Wolff marching with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 through the Italian town of Reggio Emilia in Aug. 1943. Footages probably shot by SS-Kriegsberichter Ferdinand Rottensteiner. Die Deutsche Wochenschau. Fair use. Bottom image: an SS-Obersturmführer check identification papers of civilians to weed out possible communist and anti-Mussolini partisans in Northern Italy. As part of its pacification campaign in Italy the Leibstandarte SS was expected to assist other German security personnel. Photo by German film producer and cameraman Oberleutnant der Luftwaffe Walter Frentz. Source: Alif Rafik Khan/Black Guard Research. Fair use.
Back in Ukraine after fighting partisans in Italy, Peiper’s regiment fought recklessly. Peiper led crazy night actions by attacking the rear of enemy lines; he captured four division HQs. Still, his aggressiveness and lack of experience handling tanks caused some resentment. By now hardly any quarter was granted in the East: on December 5 and 6, 1943, his tank regiment reported killing 2,280 Russian enemies and took only three prisoners.
ReplyDeleteI do think that it would be fair to mention that Communists brigades were responsible for many war crimes committed in Italy. They tortured and murdered not only fascists, but also civilians and even other Italian partisans. One of the best known massacres, committed by Communists, was the massacre in Porzus. There were plenty of other massacres, like Rovetta, Salussola or Schio prison. Even after the war had ended they murdered some 18,000 people in Italy.
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