Rudolf Hess

Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (born 1894 in Alexandria, Egypt) began his public life as a soldier in World War I, earning the Iron Cross and reaching the rank of Leutnant der Reserve. Post-war, his intellectual path led him to study geopolitics at the University of Munich under Karl Haushofer, a proponent of 'Lebensraum' (living space). This concept became a cornerstone of Nazi ideology.

Hess joined the Nazi Party in 1920 and was a fervent supporter of Adolf Hitler, even participating in the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. During his subsequent imprisonment, he assisted Hitler in writing 'Mein Kampf,' solidifying his position within the burgeoning party. His loyalty and ideological commitment propelled him to become Deputy Führer (Stellvertreter des Führers) in April 1933, a position of immense power and influence within the Nazi regime.

He held significant roles, including Minister without Portfolio and a member of various defense and cabinet councils, and was designated as Hitler's successor after Hermann Göring.

By 1941, despite his high-ranking title, Hess found himself increasingly marginalized from critical decision-making, with many within Hitler's inner circle viewing him as mentally unstable. Driven by a desire to end the war, Hess embarked on a clandestine and unauthorized mission. On May 10, 1941, he piloted a Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter aircraft from Augsburg, Germany, to Scotland.

His objective was to meet with David Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton, whom Hess mistakenly believed was a key figure opposed to Britain's war policy. Hess hoped to broker a peace agreement that would allow Germany to focus its efforts on the Eastern Front against the Soviet Union. This audacious flight, undertaken without Hitler's knowledge or approval, was a desperate gamble that ultimately failed.

Upon landing in Scotland, Hess was immediately apprehended by British authorities. He was held in captivity throughout the remainder of the war. Following Germany's defeat, Hess was among the principal defendants at the Nuremberg trials in 1946.

During the proceedings, he feigned amnesia, a tactic he later admitted was a deliberate deception. The International Military Tribunal convicted Hess of crimes against peace and conspiracy with other German leaders to commit crimes. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, a sentence he would serve for the next four decades.

Rudolf Hess spent the majority of his life sentence in Spandau Prison in Berlin. For many years, he was the sole inmate, a situation that drew international attention and criticism. His family and various political figures repeatedly petitioned for his release, but these efforts were consistently blocked, notably by the Soviet Union.

Hess remained imprisoned until his death by suicide on August 17, 1987, at the age of 93. His death marked the end of a long and controversial chapter. In the aftermath, Spandau Prison was demolished to prevent it from becoming a neo-Nazi pilgrimage site.

His grave, initially marked with the inscription 'Ich hab's gewagt' (I dared it), became a focal point for neo-Nazi demonstrations. In 2011, authorities decided to exhume his remains, cremate them, and destroy the gravestone to sever this connection.