Joachim Peiper SS-Standartenführer is the 1st Leibsandarte Adolf Hitler Waffen-SS Panzerdivision's officer was not only respected by comrades but the Allies too - which played an important role in the Trial of Malmedy too. Peiper was one of those officer whom their solders trusted blindly, and who followed them in return, always stood by his men and shared in their war life even under the worth conditions. Peiper's character was appeared in several biographical books as well as in the well-known movie The Battle of Bulge. Also MG Comics kept a memento of him through their popular black and white manga.
Jochen Peiper - a colored front page...
...and a black and white one
MG Comics appears to be a mistical publisher as there aren't any information them about it but you can find a huge number of their mangas. MG published besides the traditional manga types - mainly sci-fi ones - also a series about the Second World War. This series has two story lines: the first one is tells about the Japanese Fighter Pilots and Kamikazes, the second one about the German Panzer Aces and Divisons. From this second German type I find four mangas implying Joachim Peiper.
About Joachim Peiper in a nutshell with some pics
The dramatical drawings are made
more living by contemporary photographs
Editors took care of details so much
that they also added explicit maps,
and before each battles one can find
the 1st division's exact equipment like on the pages above
And when talking about equipment,
so we can also find the good old Panzerfaust as well
The drawing style of this manga is rather European not the typical Japanese one, that isn't the traditional manga as we know it. Also the book is typically European, so you can read it from left to right. As one looks at the pages they will recognize the well-knowed photos of Peiper and their comrades.
A well-knowed photo about the Eastern Front (Russia)
A stolen moment from the Trial of Malmedy
Reunion with comrades after the war - and death row -
The frame story is based on the days of July 13th-14th of 1976, in which you can also find a mention of Peiper's military carrier, the Tial of Malmedy, and some photos of the life after the war. The well edited story offers excellent dramatical style but also has homorous moment.
Awakening after a long night when painting the town red
- soldier joke
- soldier joke
The first pages and pics of the comic set dramatical tone of the story which makes the end more shocking.
Peiper wants to know his family is safe but he is ready to die
After the killers appear there is a dramatical cut
and we see the beginning of a new life in united Berlin
It's interesting - or perhaps not at all - that this comics was only published in Japan although the time has come to clean up misbeliefs like "all Germans were nazis" - since Peiper himself wasn't even a member of the nazi party. But we know well: history is written by the winners...
