No last flight of Deputy Fuhrer Hess

What are going to be the effects of Deputy Fuhrer Hess not taking his mysterious flight to Scotland in early 1941? Perhaps he is not duped into thinking he could broke peace with Britain - doesn't matter why, just that he does not depart Germany.

How would him remaining as Deputy Fuhrer affect the remainder of the war? I have read that Hess was seen as the moderating influence of the Nazi party, and also that he was the most pragmatic of the senior Nazi leaders. He also had a keen interest in foreign policy and he even introduced Hitler to Haushofer who developed the theory of lebensraum. Would a more pragmatic Hess convince Hitler not to declare war on the US in December '41?

Thank you for your input.
 
Hess

If memory serves, Hess had lost almost all influence by 1941 and his position as "Deputy Fuehrer" was more symbolic than any representation of power.

I think however there is a role for Hess - in 1945. In late April, he is in Bavaria having been sent away from Berlin by Hitler after the latter's birthday on April 20th. In his Will, Hitler confirms Hess as the new Fuehrer for no other reason than Goering and Himmler have both betrayed him and no one else can be trusted to negotiate with the allies.

So, on April 30th Rudolf Hess becomes Head of the disintegrating German state and finds himself perilously close to the advancing American forces. He listens to the pleas of Doenitz in the north who argue for more time to complete the evacuations from the Baltic and urges Kesselring not to capitulate in Italy for the same reason.

With the fall of Innsbruck on May 2nd, Hess knows time is up - he sends word to the Americans he is ready to surrender all remaining German forces and is quickly dispatched to Reims.

Eisenhower had refused to meet with any German commander but decides to talk to Hess as German Head of State. Hess is made aware of the dire infirmity of the German military situation but plays for as much time as he can to give soldiers and civilians every chance to get to the west.

Finally, on May 6th at 2.41am Hess signs the instrument of unconditional surrender and is taken to Moscow where a similar ceremony is enacted a few hours later ending the war.

Hess will stand trial at Nuremburg with other Nazi leaders.
 
A slight note - Hitler did not want to will anyone the title of Fuhrer, so Hess would either be President (what Doenitz got) or Chancellor (Goebbels got that) but not both. If Goebbels is still in Berlin presumably he still gets the Chancellorship.

One note tho - Doenitz was chosen not least because of his position in Flensburg where he was able to co-ordinate things. If Hess is hiding out in Bavaria, he's going to find it more difficult

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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