# Rudolf Hess- Anyone Know The Real Reason? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2008, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093 "2008-03-12T10:52:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/41 "2008-03-14T14:40:29Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] You don’t know the half of it (or maybe you do). Take a gander at Himmler’s [Posen speech](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posen_speech), for example. [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > Just as we did not hesitate on June 30, 1934, to perform our duty as ordered and put comrades who had failed up against the wall and execute them, we also never spoke about it, nor will we ever speak about it. (reference to the Night of the Long Knives) Let us thank God that we had within us enough self-evident fortitude never to discuss it among us, and we never talked about it. Every one of us was horrified, and yet every one clearly understood that we would do it next time, when the order is given and when it becomes necessary. _We are not monsters. We’re moral people And yet we have the strength to do this This is the splendour of our achievment Call in the airstrike with a poison kiss_ ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/42 "2008-03-14T19:17:48Z")
[QUOTE=Koxinga] I remember a theory that the British were counting on the Soviets to veto Hess’s release, to prevent him coming out and revealing just who in the UK might have been actively collaborating with the Nazis. Once it looked like the Soviets might soften their stance with glasnost and all that, supposedly, the British took other steps to ensure he’d never talk. All a conspiracy theory, of course. [/QUOTE] Something like this was used as part of the plot for the intrigue novel “Spandau Phoenix”. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2008, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/43 "2008-03-14T19:32:58Z")
[QUOTE=DrFidelius] Some nations feel that America’s short memory is a fault, not a virtue. For other countries, history is alive and not something that gets disregarded every generation. [/QUOTE] In some parts of the South, you can get quite an earful about The Lost Cause & The War of Northern Aggresssion. In _my_ part of the South, not so much… ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/44 "2008-03-15T01:11:24Z")
He was really on his way to Qwghlm. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/45 "2008-03-15T02:13:50Z")
> [@](#): > > In response to Little Nemo, I meant why has it been necessary to keep Hess’ mission secret for 66 years? If it was a peace overture, the Allied victory would have vindicated the refusal to accept it- along with the discovery of the death camps. What part of it was kept secret for 66 years? Everything I wrote was based on information that’s been known for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/46 "2008-03-15T05:51:31Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] What part of it was kept secret for 66 years? Everything I wrote was based on information that’s been known for decades. [/QUOTE] What the actual mission was. There are a lot of educated guesses, but- as far as I know- no official documents supporting any position. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/47 "2008-03-15T16:16:56Z")
> [@](#): > > What the actual mission was. There are a lot of educated guesses, but- as far as I know- no official documents supporting any position. As I’ve said, Hess’ actual mission was to meet with the Duke of Hamilton and negotiate a peace treaty between Germany and the United Kingdom. Do you think it was something else? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/48 "2008-03-15T16:30:04Z")
[QUOTE=smiling bandit] Was there something about Nazism that attracted unstable intellectuals? 😕 [/QUOTE] The snappy uniforms! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/49 "2008-03-15T16:49:10Z")
> [@](#): > > Was there something about Nazism that attracted unstable intellectuals? I’m guessing that when they got to the part where the solution for all of Germany’s problems was killing six million Jews, most of the stable intellectuals said thanks for the donuts and coffee and left the presentation. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/50 "2008-03-15T17:15:25Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] I’m guessing that when they got to the part where the solution for all of Germany’s problems was killing six million Jews, most of the stable intellectuals said thanks for the donuts and coffee and left the presentation. [/QUOTE] +1 to this answer. Particularly since a good part of the german intelligentsia WAS Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/51 "2008-03-16T02:16:14Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] As I’ve said, Hess’ actual mission was to meet with the Duke of Hamilton and negotiate a peace treaty between Germany and the United Kingdom. Do you think it was something else? [/QUOTE] If I thought that was the total, confirmed answer I would not have asked the question. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/52 "2008-03-16T05:49:16Z")
It appears to be not so much an unanswered question as an unasked question. If you could explain what it is you feel are the unresolved issues or contradictions or theories, maybe we could address them. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/53 "2008-03-16T07:35:54Z")
I thought I did in Post #17. If that is not clear enough I can’t see what more I can do. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/54 "2008-03-16T18:07:30Z")
Okay. > [@](#): > > However, why make a peace overture through a relatively obscure Scottish noble- was he really going to influence the British Government (or be able to?). Hess mistakenly thought that the Duke of Hamilton was a German sympathizer. I believe this was due to the Duke having expressed some favorable opinions about Germany and the Nazis during a visit to the Berlin Olympics. > [@](#): > > If indeed he was on a mission unknown to Hitler, why was he certain that Hitler would ever accept any terms? Hitler had already publicly and privately said that he wanted a peace treaty with the United Kingdom, albeit on his terms. > [@](#): > > And if he was simply on a peace mission- why the necessity to not reveal anything after all these years? This has all been public knowledge for decades. What is it you feel has only recently been revealed? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/55 "2008-03-17T18:08:41Z")
“It’s official. Rudolph Hess arrived in Hell at 7:00 pm this evening.” –David Letterman, on the program taped after Hess’s death. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/56 "2008-03-18T09:10:17Z")
I thought I mentioned that I thought a peace mission may not have been fully explained. If that is unacceptable to your line of thinking, I doubt you will ever see my point. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/57 "2008-03-18T16:22:56Z")
I’ve tried to answer the questions you’ve actually asked. Some of them I’ve answered twice. However, it seems you feel there’s an alternative theory. Could you at least tell us what it is that you believe is true? Or at least what part of the “official story” you feel is unlikely? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/58 "2008-03-18T21:26:19Z")
Is no-one ever going to shout “I vill ask ze qvestions!” ? Disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/59 "2008-03-18T21:41:52Z")
> [@Argent Towers](#): > > The golf courses in Germany suck dick. [QUOTE=ouryL] 😃 Really? [/QUOTE] Yeah, but the fairways aren’t trimmed at all. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2008, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093/60 "2008-03-19T00:00:38Z")
Speaking of not trimmed, what was the deal with Rudi’s [eyebrows](http://www.worldwar-two.net/Imagens/Hess.jpg)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rudolf-hess-anyone-know-the-real-reason/441093.md?page=4)