Rudolph Hess - Spandau Prison

Walter Richard Rudolf Hess (Heß in German) (April 26, 1894 – August 17, 1987)

Like Joseph Goebbels, Hess was privately distressed by the war with Britain. According to William L. Shirer, author of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, Hess may have hoped to score a stunning diplomatic victory by sealing a peace between the Reich and Britain. Hess at the time flew to Britain in May 1941 to meet the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, parachuting from his Messerschmitt Bf 110 over Renfrewshire on May 10 and landing (though breaking his ankle) at Floors Farm near Eaglesham, just south of Glasgow. He was quickly arrested, although the details of how this happened are somewhat unclear and remain controversial. In one newsreel clip, farmer David McLean claims to have arrested Rudolf Hess with his pitchfork.

Apparently, Hess believed Hamilton was an opponent of Winston Churchill, whom he held responsible for the outbreak of war. His proposal of peace included giving all the Western European lands back their own National government, but German police would stay stationary. Germany would also pay back the rebuilding costs of these countries. In return, England would have to support their war against Russia.

Hess's strange behaviour and unilateral proposals quickly discredited him as a serious negotiator (especially after it became obvious he did not officially represent the German government) and he was briefly imprisoned by the British in the Tower of London. Taken by surprise, Hitler had Hess' staff arrested, then spread word throughout Germany that Hess had gone insane and acted of his own accord. Hearing this, Hess began claiming to his interrogators that as part of a pre-arranged diplomatic cover story, Hitler had agreed to announce to the German people that his deputy Führer was insane. Meanwhile Hitler granted Hess' wife a pension.

I also believe that Hess was the last prisoner held at the tower of London.

He was also the last prisoner in Spandau prison in West Berlin

I heared somewhere that the Kray twins were the last prisoners at the Tower. Paul Conliffe will know for certain.

On 12/01/2007 at 22:56, Tom Jones-Parry said:

I also believe that Hess was the last prisoner held at the tower of London.

The Krays. They were imprisoned for a few days in 1952 for failing to report for national service.

On 08/08/2021 at 13:19, ianto67 said:

I heared somewhere that the Kray twins were the last prisoners at the Tower. Paul Conliffe will know for certain.

They were imprisoned for a few days in 1952 for failing to report for national service.

• The last state prisoner to be held in the Tower, Rudolf Hess, the deputy leader of the Nazi Party, in May 1941.^[7]
• The last person to be executed in the Tower, Josef Jakobs, Nazi spy, shot by a firing squad on 15 August 1941.^[8]
• The last people to be held in the Tower, the Kray twins.^[9] They were imprisoned for a few days in 1952 for failing to report for national service.