History of Rudolf Hess

Rudolf Hess was a significant figure within the Nazi regime, serving as Adolf Hitler's deputy and holding various high-ranking positions during the Third Reich. His life and career offer insights into the inner workings of Nazi Germany as well as into the often complex and competing dynamics among its leaders. Hess's biography is marred by controversy and intrigue, culminating in his bizarre flight to Britain during World War II.

Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was born on April 26, 1894, in Alexandria, Egypt, to a wealthy German merchant family. After the family relocated back to Germany, Hess was exposed to early nationalist ideologies, which he absorbed during his education in Bavaria. During World War I, he served in the German army, first in an artillery regiment and later as a fighter pilot. The war left a significant impact on Hess, shaping his nationalist and reactionary views. After the war, he studied at the University of Munich, where he became deeply involved in nationalist fringe groups.

Hess's political career began in earnest when he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), more commonly known as the Nazi Party, in 1920. Hess quickly became a steadfast follower of Adolf Hitler. His loyalty and organizational skills did not go unnoticed, and he became one of Hitler's closest confidants. This loyalty was solidified when Hess participated in the infamous Beer Hall Putsch of 1923, a failed coup attempt by Hitler to seize control of the Bavarian government. The plot's failure resulted in Hess's imprisonment alongside Hitler in Landsberg Prison.

During their time in prison, Hitler authored "Mein Kampf" with Hess as his scribe. This book laid the ideological foundation for the Nazi movement, describing its aggressive anti-Semitic and expansionist agenda. Hess's role in this process cemented his standing within the party as a similarly ideological and faithful adherent to Hitler's vision.

Upon his release, Hess steadily rose through the ranks of the Nazi Party, eventually being appointed Deputy Führer in 1933, the same year that Hitler was appointed Chancellor and the Nazis rose to power in Germany. As Deputy Führer, Hess was Hitler's right-hand man and was responsible for party matters, overseeing internal affairs, and ensuring that Nazi ideology permeated all sectors of German society. He was instrumental in further institutionalizing the party's racist and authoritarian doctrines across the nation.

Hess's influence began to wane, however, as the Nazi regime became increasingly dominated by figures such as Heinrich Himmler, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring, and Martin Bormann. To some extent, Hess was sidelined because of his lack of interest in military and economic affairs, areas that were becoming increasingly important as the regime prepared for war.

The most enigmatic chapter of Hess's life unfolded on May 10, 1941, when he undertook a solo flight to Scotland in a Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter plane. Hess's goal was to negotiate peace with the United Kingdom, which he believed could be persuaded to join Germany in its war against the Soviet Union. This unauthorized mission, seemingly driven by his belief in astrology and a misconceived understanding of British politics, ended in his arrest. He parachuted out of his plane and was captured by a Scottish farmer, eventually being detained by the British military.

Hess's flight to Britain stunned the Nazi leadership and remains a topic of speculation among historians. Hitler distanced himself from Hess, declaring him mentally unstable. Within Germany, Hess was stripped of his official titles and power, while British authorities, unsure of his motives, detained him as a prisoner of war.

At the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, Hess was one of the major Nazi figures on trial for war crimes, although his direct involvement in the Holocaust and other atrocities was considered less than some of his counterparts. Despite his seemingly diminished role in wartime decision-making, he was convicted of crimes against peace and conspiracy, receiving a life sentence. He was incarcerated in Spandau Prison in Berlin.

For decades, Hess remained the sole prisoner in Spandau, as other Nazi figures were released over the years. He spent his imprisonment isolated and reportedly struggled with his mental health. Hess was a figure of particular interest not only because of his wartime role but also due to enduring conspiracy theories about his mission to Britain, many suspecting untold secrets about Nazi plans or British collusion.

Rudolf Hess died on August 17, 1987, officially ruled as a suicide. His death marked the end of an era, closing the book on one of the last surviving leaders of the Nazi regime. Hess remains a controversial figure, studied as much for his early devotion to Nazi ideology as for his mysterious actions during the war. The intricate interplay of loyalty, ideological fervor, and madcap diplomacy all serve to underscore the bizarre and often unfathomable nature of his political life.