Rudolf Hess One of the leaders of Nazi Germany, deputy Fuhrer in the party, Nazi “number three” Date of Birth: 26.04.1894 Country: Germany

1. Biography of Rudolf Hess
2. Early Life and Military Service
3. Political Career
4. Blind Loyalty to Hitler
5. Later Years and Trial

Biography of Rudolf Hess

Rudolf Hess, born on April 26, 1894, was a German statesman and political figure. He was a member of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) and served as Adolf Hitler's deputy in the party and as Reich Minister without Portfolio.

Early Life and Military Service

Hess was born in Alexandria, Egypt, to a German merchant family. During World War I, he served on the Western Front as a platoon commander in the same regiment as Hitler. He was wounded near Verdun and later transferred to the aviation division. In 1919, he joined the Thule Society and became a member of one of the units of the Volunteer Corps under the command of General Franz von Epp. In 1920, Hess became a member of the NSDAP and studied at the University of Munich under Professor Karl Haushofer, whose geopolitical theories greatly influenced him.

Political Career

Following his participation in the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, Hess fled to Austria. Upon his return to Germany, he was sentenced to seven months of imprisonment, which he served alongside Hitler in Landsberg Prison, where Hitler dictated his book "Mein Kampf". In 1925, Hess became Hitler's personal secretary and in December 1932, he became the chairman of the central party committee and a deputy to the Reichstag. On April 21, 1933, he was appointed Hitler's deputy in the party, and on June 29, 1933, he became Reich Minister without Portfolio. After Hitler reorganized the military and political leadership on February 4, 1938, Hess became a member of the so-called Secret Cabinet. On August 30, 1939, he joined the executive council for defense and was appointed as the successor to Hermann Göring. He had full control over the activities of the Nazi government and other state institutions, as no government decree or Reich law had any force until signed by Hitler or Hess. Hess was entrusted with making decisions on behalf of the Führer and was declared the "plenipotentiary representative of the Führer," with his office being referred to as the "Chancellery of the Führer."

Blind Loyalty to Hitler

Hess's loyalty to Hitler, who elevated him from a low position to the highest posts in the Reich, was absolute. Immersed in himself, lacking high intelligence and demagogic talent, Hess only knew unconditional faith in his Führer. He once said, "Hitler is simply the personification of pure reason." In 1934, Hess proudly declared, "We see with pride that only one person remains beyond any criticism. Each of us feels and understands that Hitler is always right and that he will always be right." At one of the Nuremberg party rallies, Hess, as usual before Hitler's speeches, stated, "I was fortunate enough to live and work alongside the greatest son of our nation, whom our people must carry through a thousand years of history."

Later Years and Trial

On May 10, 1941, Hess made a surprising flight to Scotland, where, on behalf of Hitler, he offered peace to Great Britain and proposed a joint campaign against the Soviet Union. In the UK, Hess was interned as a prisoner of war. In 1946, he appeared before the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. During the trial, he repeatedly feigned memory loss, constantly asking the judges and repeating, "I don't remember anything." Posing as mentally ill, Hess made dramatic attempts to commit suicide. At the court's request, doctors thoroughly examined him and concluded that his actions were intentionally simulated. He appeared exhausted and broken, with his deeply seated eyes looking apathetically into space. The court sentenced Hess to life imprisonment in Berlin's Spandau Prison, where he eventually died.