What is Rudolf Hess?
{{distinguish|Rudolf Höss}} [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-1987-0313-507, Rudolf Hess.jpg|thumb|Rudolf Hess]] '''Rudolf Walter Richard Hess''' ('''Heß''' in [[German language|German]]) (26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a high [[rank]]ing [[Nazi]] leader, and one of [[Adolf Hitler]]'s closest men. He was the third man after [[Hermann Göring]] in the [[Third Reich]] from 1933 to 1941.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/biographies/hess-bio.htm | title = Biography of Rudolf Heß | publisher = historyplace | accessdate = 1 November 2009 | archive-date = 2009-10-16 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091016063934/http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/biographies/hess-bio.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref> == Early Life Early Career and Nazi Career == Rudolf Hess was born in [[Alexandria]], [[Egypt]], but moved back to [[Imperial Germany|Germany]] in 1908. He joined the [[Imperial German Army|army]] in [[World War I]] and was a soldier from 1914 until 1918. In 1920 he joined the [[Nazi Party]] and in 1922 he also became a member of the [[Sturmabteilung|SA]]. He flew to [[Scotland]] during [[World War II]] in 1941 with the intention of putting an end to the war but was arrested. After the war he was tried at the [[Nuremberg Trials]] in 1946 and sentenced to life imprisonment from 1946-1987. He died in the [[Spandau Prison|Allied Military Prison]], [[Spandau]], [[Berlin]] in 1987. Since 1966 he had been the only prisoner. His death was caused by a strangulation using an electrical cord; officials recorded it as a [[suicide]]. == References == {{reflist}} {{IMT defendants}} {{Hitler's Cabinet}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hess, Rudolf}} [[Category:1894 births]] [[Category:1987 deaths]] [[Category:Criminals who committed suicide]] [[Category:German prisoners]] [[Category:German war criminals]] [[Category:Government ministers of Nazi Germany]] [[Category:Members of the Reichstag (Nazi Germany)]] [[Category:Members of the Reichstag (Weimar Republic)]] [[Category:Nazis who committed suicide]] [[Cate