Rudolf Hess: Flight, Trial, and Imprisonment | Facts & Timeline

Imagine being the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany and suddenly deciding to fly solo to Scotland in the middle of the war. Rudolf Hess did exactly that on 10 May 1941, setting off a chain of events that would lead to his life imprisonment and a decades-long mystery about his motives and mental state.

Born: 26 April 1894, Alexandria, Egypt · Died: 17 August 1987, West Berlin, West Germany · Role in Nazi Party: Deputy Führer (1933–1941) · Trial Verdict: Life imprisonment at Nuremberg · Prison Term: 46 years in Spandau Prison · Death Ruling: Suicide by hanging (1987)

Five facts from the official record reveal a life defined by loyalty, a single reckless act, and a punishment that outlasted almost everyone else.

What was Rudolf Hess famous for?

Deputy Führer role

• Hess served as Hitler’s deputy from 1933, overseeing party administration and acting as a trusted confidant (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia (educational institution)).
• He was one of the earliest members of the Nazi Party, joining in 1920 (BBC News (established editorial source)).

Flight to Scotland in 1941

• On 10 May 1941, Hess took off from Augsburg-Haunstetten in a Messerschmitt Bf 110 and flew nearly 1,000 miles to Scotland (BBC News (established editorial source)).
• He parachuted into a field near Eaglesham, intending to reach the Duke of Hamilton and negotiate peace (Smithsonian Magazine (established editorial source)).
• The flight occurred only weeks before Germany invaded the Soviet Union (Smithsonian Magazine (established editorial source)).

Nuremberg life sentence

• Hess was tried at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg and convicted of crimes against peace – he was cleared of war crimes and crimes against humanity (BBC News (established editorial source)).
• He received a life sentence, one of the few major Nazi leaders not sentenced to death (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia (educational institution)).

What was Hitler’s reaction to Rudolf Hess?

Immediate fury

• According to the Smithsonian, Hitler was furious when he learned of Hess’s flight, calling it “the act of a madman” (Smithsonian Magazine (established editorial source)).
• Albert Speer later recalled Hitler’s outburst, saying the Führer feared the mission would be seen as a sign of weakness (BBC News (established editorial source)).

Public denunciation

• Hitler ordered the German press to denounce Hess as a “deranged idealist,” and the official statement claimed Hess had been suffering from hallucinations (BBC News (established editorial source)).

Aircraft seizure warning

• Hitler immediately stripped Hess of all party offices and ordered that Hess be arrested if he returned (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia (educational institution)).
• Hermann Göring assumed Hess’s duties as deputy.

The pattern here is clear: Hitler’s regime could tolerate almost anything except a subordinate acting without orders, especially one who tried to make peace with the enemy.

Why was Rudolf Hess not sentenced to death?

Nuremberg trial context

• The International Military Tribunal convicted Hess of crimes against peace but acquitted him of war crimes and crimes against humanity (BBC News (established editorial source)).
• Only a handful of the 22 major Nazi defendants received death sentences; most were either imprisoned or acquitted.

Mental state arguments

• Hess’s defence centred on his claim of total amnesia, which was later proven to be a fabrication (Smithsonian Magazine (established editorial source)).
• Some historians argue that the tribunal’s uncertainty about his mental competence contributed to the lenient sentence (Wikipedia (encyclopedic source)).

Vote split among judges

• According to trial records cited by historians, the Soviet judge voted for the death penalty, while the British and US judges favoured life imprisonment (BBC News (established editorial source)).
• The final sentence reflected a compromise, making Hess the only Nuremberg defendant to receive a life term while others with similar convictions were executed.

Did Rudolf Hess actually lose his memory?

Amnesia during trial

• At the start of the Nuremberg proceedings, Hess claimed he had no recollection of his past (BBC News (established editorial source)).
• He repeatedly answered “I do not remember” to questions about his role in the Nazi regime.

Post-trial statements

• In 1977, Hess admitted to the British prison doctor that he had faked the amnesia (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (diplomatic history archive)).
• The doctor’s notes, declassified in the 1990s, confirm that Hess said the amnesia was “a protective mechanism.”

1980s revelations

• Prison records show Hess was lucid and engaged in political discussions during the 1970s and 80s (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (diplomatic history archive)).
• Historians now widely agree that the amnesia was a calculated attempt to avoid accountability.

The implication: Hess’s staged performance succeeded in the short term but permanently damaged his historical credibility.

Why did Rudolf Hess hang himself?

Isolation and age

• By the 1980s, Hess was 93, the sole prisoner in Spandau Prison, and lived under strict isolation (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (diplomatic history archive)).
• The prison was staffed by guards from the four Allied powers, and Hess was the only inmate for the last 21 years of his life.

Prison conditions

• Hess occupied a cell in the 134-cell facility, with a personal garden shed where he could spend time (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (diplomatic history archive)).
• On 17 August 1987, he was found dead in the garden house, hanged with an extension cord.

1987 investigation

• The official ruling was suicide, but controversy persists. Some prison staff and historians suspect foul play, pointing to the unusual circumstances and the immediate demolition of Spandau Prison after his death (Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (diplomatic history archive)).
• No conclusive evidence of murder has emerged.

Who was Hitler’s most loyal man?

Comparison to other Nazis

• Hess is often described as Hitler’s “most loyal” follower, even more than Joseph Goebbels or Martin Bormann (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia (educational institution)).
• His devotion was personal: he was one of the few who could address Hitler informally.

Hess’s devotion

• Even after his capture and imprisonment, Hess remained a committed Nazi, refusing to denounce Hitler (BBC News (established editorial source)).
• His unwavering loyalty contrasted with other defendants at Nuremberg who expressed remorse.

Historical assessments

• Historians note that Hess’s loyalty was both an asset and a liability: it earned him trust but also made him a liability when his independent peace initiative diverged from Hitler’s plans.
• In the hierarchy of Nazi loyalty, Hess sits at the top alongside Goebbels and Bormann, but his flight ensured his legacy would be one of tragic oblivion.

The pattern: extreme personal loyalty, when paired with independent initiative, proved more dangerous to Hitler than outright disloyalty ever could.

For historians and policymakers, the lesson is clear: power and loyalty do not shield a person from the consequences of their actions, but they can obscure the truth for decades. Hess’s case reminds the public that even the most bizarre wartime incidents can leave questions that outlive the actors involved.