THE STRANGE CASE OF RUDOLF HESS
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conceal something,” they concluded. “Judging by the fact that they are still desperate to conceal it, common sense dictates that they deem this secret to be unsuitable for public consumption, even after sixty years.” A detailed study of Hess’s flight clearly indicates that it was not just a sudden whim of an unstable individual. There is evidence of foreknowledge in Germany. Hess prepared for the flight meticulously over a period of months, even having famed aircraft designer Willy Messerschmitt modify a twin-engine Messerschmitt-110. Hess also received special flight training from Messerschmitt’s chief test pilot, as well as Hitler’s personal pilot, Hans Baur—evidence that Hitler had knowledge of Hess’s plans. On his flight, Hess carried the visiting cards of both Haushofer and his son, Albrecht Haushofer, yet another indication of his intent as a peace mission, since the elder Haushofer had long been an advocate of maintaining friendly relations with Britain as a cornerstone of German politics. According to the French scholars Michel Bertrand and Jean Angelini (writing under the name of Jean-Michel Angebert), Haushofer passed along to Hess the names of members of the Order of the Golden Dawn, an occult society in England, as well as names of supporters of a peace initiative, such as the duke of Hamilton, the duke of Bedford, and Sir Ivone Kirkpatrick. The Golden Dawn, most popularly connected to England’s foremost occultist, Aleister “the Beast” Crowley, was an outgrowth of the Theosophical Society, from which much Nazi mysticism was derived, and had close ties with the Thule Society. According to some theories, British Intelligence manipulated Hess’s belief in the occult to provoke his flight to England. Oddly enough, this scheme involved Crowley as well as British Intelligence agent Ian Fleming, who would later write the popular James Bond novels. “Via a Swiss astrologer known to Fleming, astrological advice was passed along to Hess (again, via the Haushofers and by Dr. Ernst Schulte-Strathaus, an astrological adviser and occultist on Hess’s staff since 1935) advocating a peace mission to England,” wrote Levenda. “May 10, 1941, was selected as the appropriate date, since an unusual conjunction of six planets in Taurus (that had the soothsayers humming for months previous) would take place at that time.” Once in England, Hess was to be debriefed by fellow occultist Crowley.