Rudolf Hess

Rudolf Hess should not be confused with another prominent Nazi, Rudolf Höß (also spelled Höss or Hoess.)

Flight to Scotland

Like Joseph Goebbels, Hess was privately distressed by the declaration of war on England. According to William L. Shirer, author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Hess may have hoped to score a stunning diplomatic victory by sealing a peace between the Reich and Britain. He flew to Britain in May 1941 to meet the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, parachuting from his Messerschmitt Bf 110 over Renfrewshire on May 10 and landing (which broke his ankle) at Floors Farm near Eaglesham, just south of Glasgow. He was quickly arrested, although the details of how this happened are somewhat unclear and remain controversial. The British government may still hold records pertaining to the incident and if so, their eventual release may help more fully explain it.

Related Topics:
William L. Shirer - The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - Diplomatic victory - May - 1941 - Duke of Hamilton and Brandon - Messerschmitt Bf 110 - Renfrewshire - May 10 - Eaglesham - Glasgow

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Apparently, Hess believed Hamilton was an opponent of Winston Churchill, whom he held responsible for the outbreak of war. His proposal for peace was similar to the bargain Hitler had tried to make with Neville Chamberlain prior to the invasion of Poland: Very broadly put, Germany would help protect the British Empire so long as Britain did not oppose Germany in Europe.

Related Topics:
Winston Churchill - Neville Chamberlain - Poland - British Empire

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Hess's strange behavior and unilateral proposals quickly discredited him as a serious negotiator (especially after it became obvious he did not officially represent the German government) and he was briefly imprisoned by the British in the Tower of London. Taken by surprise, Hitler had Hess' staff arrested, then spread word throughout Germany that Hess had gone insane and acted of his own accord. Hearing this, Hess began claiming to his interrogators that as part of a pre-arranged diplomatic cover story, Hitler had agreed to announce to the German people that his deputy fuhrer was insane. Meanwhile Hitler granted Hess' wife a pension, Martin Bormann succeeded him as deputy under a newly created title and (very notably) turned that position into the second most powerful in Germany.

Related Topics:
Tower of London - Insane - Martin Bormann

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