Rudolf Hess

Rudolf Hess' flight to Britain in May 1941 stands out as one of the most intriguing and bizarre episodes of the Second World War.In The Truth About Rudolf Hess, Lord James Douglas-Hamilton explores many of the myths which still surround the affair. He traces the developments which persuaded Hess to undertake the flight without Hitlers knowledge and shows why he chose to approach the Duke of Hamilton. In the process he throws light on the importance of Albrect Haushofer, one-time envoy to Hitler and Ribbentrop and personal advisor to Hess, who was eventually executed by the SS for his involvement in the German Resistance movement.Drawing on British War Cabinet papers and the authors unparalleled access to both the Hamilton papers and the Haushofer letters, this new and expanded edition of The Truth About Rudolf Hess takes the reader into the heart of the Third Reich, combining adventure and intrigue with a scholarly historical approach.

On 10 May 1941, Rudolf Hess - Deputy Fuhrer of the Third Reich - embarked on his astonishing flight from Augsburg to Scotland. At dusk the same day, he parachuted on to a Scottish moor and was taken into custody. His arrival provoked widespread curiosity and speculation, which has continued to this day. Why did Hess fly to Scotland? Had Hitler authorized him to attempt to negotiate peace? Was British Intelligence involved? What was his state of mind at the time? Drawing on a variety of reliable archive and eyewitness sources in Britain, Germany and the USA, authors Roy Conyers Nesbit and Georges van Acker have written what must be the most objective assessment of the Hess' story yet to be published. Their compelling narrative not only dispels many of the extraordinary conspiracy theories, but also uncovers some intriguing new facts.

After outwitting some ducks, Iktomi, the Indian trickster, is outwitted by Coyote.

The first biography of Rudolf Hess since his death in August 1987. Traces Hess's political evolution towards Nazism. He was in Munich in 1919 and joined the anti-Marxist anti-democratic, and antisemitic Thule Gesellschaft. Hess became a disciple of Karl Haushofer and a friend of Dietrich Eckart, editor of the antisemitic newspaper "Auf Gut Deutsch" and later of the "Völkischer Beobachter". He was attracted to Hitler in 1919, becoming an intimate follower and a fervent promoter of Hitler's personality cult. Hess endorsed Nazi racial doctrine and antisemitic propaganda and signed, as Hitler's deputy, anti-Jewish decrees from 1933 to 1938 (although he reportedly protested against the "Kristallnacht" pogrom). Pp. 165ff. deal with his flight to Scotland in May 1941 and its repercussions.