Joachim Peiper (30 January 1915 – 14 July 1976), also known as Jochen Peiper, was a war criminal who served as field officer in the Waffen-SS during World War II and personal adjutant to Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler between November 1940 and August 1941. Peiper fought on both the Eastern Front against the Red Army and the Western Front against the Western Allies, and was awarded by Nazi Germany the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Peiper was convicted of war crimes committed in Belgium and imprisoned for almost 12 years.