Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY. MAY 14, 1941. A FLIGHT FROM HITLER.
J.\ itself and on account of the dismayed confusion it has evidently caused in Nazi Germany, the flight to .Scotland of Itudolf Hess, Deputy Fuelirer of Germany and deputy leader of the National Socialist Parly, is an event of considerable interest and one that may prove also to be of considerable importance and significance. It is true that Hess has never been one of the most active leaders of the Nazi Party or of the embattled Third Reich. Although at the beginning of the present war he was named next in succession to Hiller after Goering, no one appears to have contemplated seriously the possibility Hint he might ever attain the leadership. It is only in a special and definitely limited sense that a radio commentator’s description of Hess as “the third most important member of the German Reich” <-an be admitted to have any relationship with the facts.
Hess has never been in the running for Hie leadership of the Nazi Keich, and a number of others, apart from Hitler himself—for example, Goering. Ribbentrop, Goebbels, Himmler, Prick. Ley and others —have had a far greater part in eonducting affairs; of -war and peace. Ror twenty years or more, however, Hess has been classed above all others as Hitler’s faithful servant and devoted adherent. Hitler is said to be incapable of real friendship willi anyone, but there does not seem to be any doubt that in Hess he has lost his most trusted associate—the man of all others upon whom he relied for undeviating service and support. The desertion of Hess is about as convincing a proof as could lie desired that there is no one in German,v whom Hitler c-.an afford to trust. ■
The (.-liaracter and standing of Hess are sketched by Yr John Gunther in his book “Inside Europe.” Observing that when Goering, after the murder of .Schleicher, underwent a temporary period of severe unpopularity with the Reichswehr, .Hess—had lie been bold and assertive enough—-might have taken his position, l\fr Gunther added:—
But the talents of Hess lie otherwise. He is the private secretary par excellence, the watchdog, the faithful servant, and little more. Hess, like so many others, was converted to Hitlerism on first hearing the Leader speak; like Goering and Ley, he was a flying officer during the war. He was the first “gentleman” to join the Nazi party. The strength of Hess lies in his closeness to Hitler. He has no government department, but, a Cabinet Minister himself, he acts as co-ordinator between the other Ministries. Hitler has given him several thankless jobs: for instance the onus of mailing the first public apologia for the murders of June 30 (1934). It is very difficult to get to Hitler on any political or party business except through Hess. His office is thronged with officeseekers and it has been nicely termed the Klagemauer (Wailing Wall) of the Third Reich.
Another observation by ,\lr G mil her gains new interest now that Hess has so dramatically taken flight from Nazi Germany:—
.pitler appointed him (Hess) to become head of the political section of the Nazi Party in the fall of 1932, after the disgrace of Strasser. Previously, except in Hitler’s intimate circle, he had been little known. The appointment was sound politics. With his usual perspicacity. Hitler chose as his deputy the one man in Germany who was not ambitious for a better job.
At time of writing there is no news of Hess having offered any explanation of his action in abandoning Nazi Germany. As one message suggests, however, his flight from the Reich to Scotland seems to dispose of Nazi al tempts Io jiictiire him as a person mentally deranged and suffering from hallucinations.
It 'will not be surprising if the discomposure betrayed by the Nazi gangsters at the loss of their Dejiuty Fuehrer proves 1o be more than justified. Party solidarity is, of course, allimportant to Hitler and his fellow-gangsters as a means of maintaining their despotic ride over their own nation and those it has subjugated and despoiled. Weakness in the partv organisation might easily lead to internal dissension and strife, collapse and disaster. At a minimum the defection of Hess means that the Nazi Party is disowned and spurned by one who was trusted above all others in its inner councils. The event derives significance from Hie unquestioning and devoted loyalty wit h which Hess has hitherto served his master, Hit lei-, and from the fact that a man as unambitious is unlikely to have developed personal grievances.. It is an event from which considerable encouragement may reasonably be derived by the people of the democracies fighting to overthrow and extirpate Nazism.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1941, Page 4
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789Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY. MAY 14, 1941. A FLIGHT FROM HITLER. Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 May 1941, Page 4
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