Rudolph Hess led a strange life. He was born into a wealthy German family in 1894. He grew up under British rule in Alexandria, Egypt. There he developed a great admiration for the British Empire and British culture.
His family moved back to Germany where he led a life of privilege. When WWI broke out he immediately enlisted in the German Army and was assigned to the infantry. He fought bravely and was wounded a number of times. He won the Iron Cross for his actions and before the end of the war had been promoted to “senior non-commissioned officer”. Shortly before the end of the war he requested a transfer to the German Air Force. He completed his pilot training and was assigned to a fighter unit. He never entered combat as a pilot as the war ended with Germany’s surrender one month later.
The war left Hess a bitter man. He and many others, including Corporal Adolph Hitler, felt betrayed by the German government. They were convinced that the war had been lost only because of a “conspiracy of Communists and Jews”. He joined the National Socialist German Workers Party – the Nazis. He became a leader of violent protests against the post war German government. Hess, along with his friend Hitler, were leaders of the failed 1923 “beer hall putsch” attempt to overthrow the government. Both men, along with others, were convicted and sent to Landsberg Prison. Hitler was sentenced to six years for treason. He was released after nine months. Hess was released 10 days later. While in prison, it was Hess who compiled Hitler’s notes and dictation into Hitler’s “Mein Kampf”, which became the foundation of the Nazi party platform.
While in prison, Hess and Hitler became close friends. They shared the same extremist views. They hated Communists, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, the handicapped and others they felt were inferior and a drain on society. In 1933, Hitler named Hess “Deputy Fuhrer’ of the Nazi party. Hess was a powerful figure. After Hitler gained total control of Germany in 1934, Hess toured Germany giving fiery speeches on behalf of the Nazi party. It was Hess who signed the “Nuremberg Laws” striping Jews of their rights. Hess’s behavior became increasingly erratic and he lost favor. In 1939, Hitler named the Air Force Commander, Herman Goring, as his second in command and Hess moved down a notch.
Hess is best remembered for a bizarre act he committed in 1941. He secretly flew a German Bf-110 fighter plane with extended range fuel tanks to Scotland. After parachuting out and being taken into custody, he claimed he was on a peace mission. He urged that the British make peace with Germany then both countries attack the Communist enemy- Russia. Hitler disavowed any intent to join England in a war with Russia.
Hess remained in prison until the end of the war when he was tried at Nuremberg and convicted of “Conspiracy and Crimes Against Peace”. He was sentenced to life at Spandau Prison where he remained until he committed suicide in 1987 at the age of 93. For his last 21 years he was the only prisoner at Spandau, a prison constructed to house 600 prisoners. The Russians would not agree to his transfer. After Hess died, the prison was demolished.
Hess was buried in the small German town of Wunsiedel. His grave gradually became a shrine often visited by neo-Nazis. In 2011, with the permission of his family, he was disinterred and his body cremated with the ashes buried at sea. The grave site was destroyed.
Author: Staff
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