The Secret Story Of Hess

"Inside" Stories of the War

BACK GROUND reasons for Hess’s flight to Britain were recently given in a BBC broadcast to Germany, and the “Yorkshire Evening News” published a translation which at once raised the question why the facts should not have been broadcast to the world. Praising the enterprise of the Yorkshire paper, “World’s Press News” restates the facts as revealed. Extracts follow: Story starts in the autumn of 1939, when Hitler assembled his henchmen and told them that the decisive hour had come. The German-Soviet Pact had been signed, the German armies on the Polish frontier were awaiting the order to attack.

Hitler was not sure what Britain would do if Germany did attack Poland, but he was prepared for war both against France and Britain, although he would have preferred to avoid it.

Two men spoke in that conference — one was Goering, the other Hess. Goering agreed to any adventure in the West, but warned against war with Russia.

Hitler patted the German-Soviet pact on his desk and assured Goering “we will never have war with Russia, or not before Britain has been smashed”.

Hess For England

BUT Hess jumped up. He implored Hitler not to break with England.

Their duty was to smash the Bol sheviks and not to make pacts with them.

But they could only save Europe and the world, shoulder to shoulder with England.

Hitler became impatient. He said the decision was made. Not the plutocratic England, but the young nations would be the victors, and accounts with the Bolsheviks “would be settled when the West was theirs”.

The breach in the Nazi Party ostensibly disappeared with the outbreak of war.

But Hess and his friends did not cease to criticise and implore Hitler to stop the war against Britain. Hess continued to hope for an understanding with London.

Bomb Was For Hess

THAT was, the background prior to the beer-cellar bomb outrage at Munich in November, 1939.

That bomb was intended for Hess. The people who planned it were Goering and Himmler. Their opportunity came when Hitler asked Hess to make a speech for him. Counting on that, Goering rigged the ropes. Three days before the rally, SS men inspected the cellar, closed all doors, stayed inside for two hours. They set the bomb in the pillar, timed for a few minutes before 9.

The plan of Goering and Himmler was to call the Feuhrer away for an urgent meeting just before the bomb exploded.

Hess, who would be speaking within a yard of the bomb, would continue, and, they hoped, be killed.

But Hitler changed his mind. He was afraid Hess would criticise the Soviet pact and decided belatedly to make the speech himself.

Goering’s problem was to save Hitler without revealing the danger. By super human efforts, Himmler and he managed to get Hitler to break off his speech un completed and leave the cellar at 8.48.

Ten minutes later, the explosion came, killing several Nazis but not injuring Hess. The plot, of course, was kept secret, even Hitler not being told.

Eighteen months passed—to May, 1941.

Again Hitler assembled his lieutenants and told them he was going to settle ac counts with the Soviet.

This time Hess applauded and Goering disagreed. Hess implored Hitler to make

peace with Britain and get her to help Germany against Russia. Hitler hesitated.

When Hess Fled

GOERING and Himmler once again realised the danger threatening their plans and again decided to get rid of Hess and finish his influence with Hitler.

Through an indiscretion, Hitler learned of the first assassination planned against Hess. He called Hess and told him all about it. Hess saw that his life was worth next to nothing. He quickly made up his mind and flew to England.

Himmler and Goebbels immediately declared him insane, but Hitler realised how unscrupulous Himmler and Goering

were and thought he himself might be next on the list. He did not dare to strike against Himmler, but his rage did turn against Goering. Consequently, Goering was disgraced and confined.

In our next issues : <c Miscalculations regarding Joseph Stalin“ Why Hitler Did Not Invade Britain in July-August, 1940”.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Dutch East Indies Navy (Vice-Admiral C. E.

L. Helfrich) succeeded the Ameri can, Admiral Thomas Hart, as Com mander of the Allied Naval forces in the South-west Pacific, last month. Hart’s retirement “because of ill-health” took place only about four weeks after his appointment, and is therefore intriguing.