Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen
Lipfert was born on 6 August 1916 in Lippelsdorf, present-day a borough of Gräfenthal, at the time in Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, as part of the German Empire. Following the compulsory labour service ("Reichsarbeitsdienst"), Lipfert joined the military service with "Nachrichten-Abteilung" 37 (37th Signals Battalion), a unit of 1st Panzer Division on 3 November 1937.