On 6 May 1943, Peiper was awarded the German Cross in Gold for his achievements in February 1943 around Kharkov, where his unit gained the nickname the "Blowtorch Battalion".
Pada 6 Mei 1943, Peiper dianugerahi German Cross in Gold untuk pencapaiannya pada Februari 1943 di sekitar Kharkov, di mana unitnya mendapat julukan "Batalion Obor Las".