Rudolf Hess
1894 – 1987 German Deputy Fuhrer of the Nazi Party
Hitler's deputy who made a bizarre solo flight to Britain in 1941 seeking peace.
- Religion
- Lutheran background; strongly drawn to astrology, occultism and fringe 'border science,' among the most genuinely esoteric of the top Nazis. He was an actual early member of the Thule Society.
- Affiliations
- Nazi Party Deputy Fuhrer; documented member of the Thule Society and student of geopolitician Karl Haushofer. His astrological leanings later gave the regime a pretext to crack down on occult groups after his 1941 flight.
Hess took down Mein Kampf from Hitler's dictation in prison and rose to Deputy Fuhrer, though his role grew ceremonial. Guided partly by astrology and a fixation on peace with Britain, he flew alone to Scotland in 1941 and was imprisoned for the rest of his life. Convicted at Nuremberg, he died at Spandau Prison in 1987.
Connections
- associate of Adolf Hitler — Deputy who transcribed Mein Kampf during their shared imprisonment.
- associate of Adolf Hitler — Transcribed Mein Kampf and served as his deputy.
- associate of Dietrich Eckart — Shared the early Munich volkisch and Thule milieu.
- rival of Martin Bormann — Bormann absorbed his powers after the 1941 flight.
- successor of Martin Bormann — Inherited Hess's party powers after the 1941 flight.