Evening star., 1941-05-13

land removed from the Nazi gov
ernment the deputy leader otter
called "Hitler's shadow" the man
who for years has been the Fueh.
rer's executive officer and constant
companion.
Hess was known as the No. Naz
because he had been named by Hit
Ter himself as second in succession
| to the Reich leadership.
Only Reichs Marshal Hermann
/ Goering ranked ahead of Hess in the
order of leadership should anything
happen to Hitler.
For years Hess has been one of
the most powerful political figures
in Germany. From the days of the
fateful beer-cellar putsch at Munich
in 1923, when Hitler made an abor-
tive bid for power, Hess has been
at his side, fighting for the type of
state Hitler wanted and, since the
Fuehrer became dictator, carrying
out Hitler's plans.
Behind the Scenes" Parsonage.
Goering, a World War idol and
master of many jobs, was more pop
ular with the people; Hess, although
recognized as Hitlers alter ego, was
more of a behind the scenes" per-
sonage.
But the tall. dark-eyed shaggy
browed Hess unquestionably eX-
erted a powerful influence over
1f1c a Nl a
companions. Whenever the Ger
man leader appeared in public,
Hess could always be seen in the
background.
He followed Hitler with blind
devotion. In speech at Hamburg
he said Hitler was heroic per-
sonality, verify a real fuehrer. be-
cause he is the executor of higher
will" When underlings in the Nazi
regime announced themselves as
department leaders he rebuked
them by saying there is only one
fuehrer, Adolf Hitler"
AS Hitler's personal deputy-a
minister without portfolio-Hess
carried out his masters orders,
promptly, efficiently and thor
oughly. Ruthlessly, he brushed
aside all opposition. He was man
to be feared. When there were
protests over Nazi policies he gagged
them. He sternly announced that
any one insulting a Storm Trooper
would be punished.
Iron Hand Policy,
"I am determined" he declared,
ito enforce friendliness with an iron
hand" And he did. Those who
muttered complaints were threat
ened with the dreaded concentration
camps.
Hitler intrusted to him the job
of housekeeping and perfecting or
ganization of the Nazi party. He
did his task so we'll that on Decem-
ber I, 1888. Hitler accredited him
officially as his personal representa-
tive in all party matters. On July
27, 1884, he conferred upon him the
right to collaborate in the framing
of all laws drafted by all depart
ments of the Reich. Later, as a
member of Hitler's secret cabinet,
he was one of the little group
charged with broad powers to rule
in war days.
Born on April 26, 1894, at Alex
andria, Egypt, he was christened
Walter Richard Rudolf Hess, but was
always known as Rudolf. His father
was German import merchant at
Alexandria. After attending school
there, he studied in Switzerland and
at Godesburg on the Rhine. He spe-
cialized in economics. He had pre-
pared to take over his fathers busi-
ness when the World War inter-
rupted his plans.
Saw Heavy Fighting.
Enlisting as a volunteer in the
Bavarian field infantry he saw
heavy fighting, especially near Ver-
dun. He was wounded three times.
Once he was shot in the lungs. On
battlefield in France he first met
Hitler, the corporal.
During the fighting, in 1919, in
the Kurt Eisner proletarian revolt,
he was wounded again. After the
war, he threw his lot with Hitler
and was his personal aide and con-
fldant in the long struggle for
power against the German republic.
Hitler and Hess were side by
side in the beer-celar putsch at
Munich. Both were obliged to flee
the country. Both were captured
and occupied nearby cells in Lands
berg fortress. Hess served seven
and one half months.
He was one of the first members
of the National Socialist Democratic
Party and was among the first
to become mamber of the Storm
Troops. The year 1925 found him
as Hitler's private secretary; later,
he became his adjutant.
Always Near Hitler.
In the stormy years marking
Hitler's ascendancy, Hess was al
ways near his leader. They were
together during the dark days of
the blood purge" when Hitler's
enemies-and some If his former
close friends-were ruthlessly exc
cuted. 1t was Hess who saw that
Hitlers drastic measures against
the Jews were carried out. 1t was
Hess who met Premier Mussolini
of italy at the border and escorted
him to Hitler's presence at Munich,