On August 17, 1987, the last prisoner of Spandau Prison died. For 21 years, one of the leading Nazi figures had remained the sole prisoner, convicted for his role in the start of World War II. Rudolf Hess’s story is one shrouded in conspiracy, covering his life, death, and the mystery that surrounded him.
Hess was born on April 26, 1894, in Egypt. His family was wealthy, and he grew up witnessing the British occupation of Egypt, developing an admiration for the British. He received a varied education in Egypt, Germany, and Switzerland in preparation for joining his father’s shipping company.
In 1914, the start of World War I saw Hess enlist in the Bavarian artillery regiment as a private. His military career saw action at the Battle of Verdun and the Somme. He received a number of injuries and promotions, becoming a corporal by 1915 and a platoon sergeant by 1916.
In 1917, he was wounded again with a bullet to the chest and artillery shrapnel to the arm. Following recovery, he was promoted to second lieutenant. In October 1918, Hess began a short stint as a pilot, though he never saw action as Germany surrendered a month later.
Like many former soldiers, Hess was shocked at the state of Germany. The economic collapse had crippled the country, and his father’s company had been appropriated by the British during the war. Hess joined one of the many Freikorps groups, paramilitary bands of soldiers who fought against Communists and Marxist revolutionaries.
During his studies at Munich University, Hess developed a close relationship with his politics professor and former General Karl Haushofer. From him, Hess learned the concept of Lebensraum, the idea that land in the East ought to be conquered and settled by Germans with its inhabitants displaced. It was Hess who introduced this concept to Hitler, forming a key part of Nazi ideology.
Hess was an early member of the Nazi Party, joining as its 16th member in July 1920. He was drawn to the notion that Jews in Germany had betrayed the war effort and led to its defeat. Hess became a key member of the party, organizing recruitment for the Brown Shirts and becoming vital for organizing and fundraising.
He was part of the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. For his role, Hess was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment at Landsberg Prison. It was there that Hitler and Hess worked on the writings of Mein Kampf. Hess took dictation from Hitler while making his own suggestions, notably regarding Lebensraum and the value of the British Empire.
In December 1924, the pair were released. Not long after, Hess cemented his place as Hitler’s right-hand man, becoming Hitler’s personal secretary in 1925. It was not until 1932 that Hess was appointed chairman of the Central Political Commission of the National Socialist Party and appointed as an honorary SS General.
When the Nazis took power in 1933, Hitler named Hess as his Deputy Führer, a position second only to Hitler himself. Hess played a vital role in the Nuremberg rallies, organizing and delivering speeches on his obedience to Hitler. His speeches were either about how perfect he thought Hitler was or ramblings about the role of international Jewry.
Hess’s subservience to Hitler was fairly unique amongst the other leading Nazis. By all accounts, he lived a relatively modest life, busying himself with obtaining a civilian pilot’s license. He did not solidify his power base nor levy control over certain aspects of Germany. His purpose was seemingly just to be Hitler’s Deputy.
Hess’s office did deal with several key matters, including the drafting of the infamous Nuremberg Race Laws that stripped Jews of many rights. At the outbreak of World War II, Hess was appointed to the war cabinet and designated as second in line to succeed Hitler behind Hermann Göring.
At this time, Hess was replaced as Hitler’s personal secretary by Martin Bormann. Unlike Hess, Bormann built up his own power base and began to marginalize what little power Hess had. Over time, Hitler and Hess grew ever more distant.
Hess believed that war with the Soviet Union should not begin in the East until Britain had been defeated or pacified in the West. He believed there were plenty in Britain opposed to the war and sympathetic to the Nazi cause, especially amongst the upper classes and even the royal family. Hess believed he could convince these people to depose Churchill and take Britain out of the war.
On May 10, 1941, Hess took off in his modified long-range plane heading north toward Scotland. His intended destination was the home of Douglas Hamilton, the 14th Duke of Hamilton and Air Commodore of the Royal Air Force. Hess had met Hamilton during the Berlin Olympics and at various dinner parties hosted by leading Nazis.
Hess believed Hamilton was sympathetic to the Nazis and could be the figure for those British sympathetic to the National Socialists to rally around. Hess had sent a letter to Hamilton explaining his desire for peace, though these letters were intercepted by British intelligence.
During the flight, Hess’s plane was picked up by British radar and Spitfires were sent to intercept him. He was able to evade these planes but could not get close enough to Hamilton’s estate. Hess had to abandon his plane mid-flight, parachuting down just outside of Glasgow.
He was detained by a farmer and shortly after arrested. During his arrest, he stressed that he must meet with Hamilton while keeping his identity hidden. Hamilton was eventually summoned, and the two discussed the peace plan.
The plan was similar to other offers of peace put forward by the National Socialists. It offered that Britain would be left to rule its Empire as long as Britain allowed the National Socialists free reign over Europe. If Britain refused, Hess threatened that Britain would starve to death following a naval blockade.
Hess remained in British captivity for the remainder of the war. During this time, he attempted to take his own life, including with a blunted bread knife and throwing himself down a flight of stairs. A psychological evaluation deemed Hess paranoid, hypochondriacal, and mentally unstable.
His delusions included believing that Jews were using mind control on leading Nazis and that the Holocaust was a plot to gain sympathy for Jews. He refused to eat anything, believing the British were trying to poison him, and subsequently lost a lot of weight.
Hitler’s reaction to Hess’s flight was one of dismay and fear, fearing other leading Nazis were going to attempt a coup. When it was clear Hess acted alone, Hitler set about decrying Hess as a madman. Hess was stripped of all ranks and duties, and the position of Deputy Führer was abolished.
After the war ended, Hess was sent back to Germany to face the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal. He was charged on four counts: conspiracy to commit crimes, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
During the trial, Hess displayed signs of amnesia, though whether this was a defense tactic is unclear. Hess stated the trials were little more than a show trial and refused to accept their jurisdiction. He was found guilty on two counts: conspiracy to commit crimes and crimes against peace. His sentence was life imprisonment at Spandau Prison in Berlin.
Hess was held in Spandau from July 1947 until his death. He was assigned the moniker Prisoner Number 7 and was guarded by a detachment of guards from the occupying powers: Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union.
Life in the prison was regimented, with prisoners monitored closely for fear of them taking their own lives. Over time, the few prisoners at Spandau were released. From 1966, Hess remained as the sole prisoner.
He was allowed to wander through the grounds, always under the watchful eye of his guards. It was not until 1969 that Hess was allowed his wife and son to visit him, having not seen them since 1941.
As he aged, he was allowed to have his cell door remain open, and a lift was installed to allow him to reach the gardens. There were attempts made in the 1970s to have Hess released on compassionate grounds, arguing the solitary nature of his imprisonment was too cruel.
During his imprisonment, he remained an unrepentant National Socialist and attempted multiple times to smuggle out statements. He attempted to take his life on multiple occasions.
On August 17, 1987, Hess’s body was found by the guards. He was 93 years old and had succeeded using a length of cable to create a noose. He was buried at a secret location before being buried at his family’s grave. The site would later become a gathering place for neo-Nazis, who saw Hess as a true believer in the ideology.
To this day, the flight to Scotland is rife with speculation and conspiracy. Hamilton denied ever meeting Hess at the dinner parties in Berlin, though the two would have likely bonded over their shared passion for flying. The exact details of Hess’s and Hamilton’s conversation remain only known between the two.
There is speculation as to the contents of classified documents relating to Hess’s flight to Britain, which remained state secrets until 2041 at the earliest. This is likely due to them containing embarrassing information about some rather important people. Such circumstances have led to theories as to whether it was even the real Rudolf Hess who made the flight to Britain.
There has also been speculation as to whether British intelligence lured Hess and whether the British had prior knowledge of his flight. Even his death was subject to speculation, including Hess’s son accusing British intelligence of murder.
Rudolf Hess remained a devoted National Socialist, focused on his beloved Führer to the point of delusion. His anti-Semitic beliefs and the belief that the East should be conquered shaped Nazi ideology.