of pulling off the difficult flight to Glasgow.... But the Führer
thinks Hess has the skill. We make announcement at eight ..”
Soon after Göring returned to his train, down at Berchtes-
gaden, the BBC broadcast from London that Rudolf Hess had
landed in Scotland. At : .. Göring telephoned Hitler with
the news. His own investigations began. Bodenschatz found out
that Hess had made complex, level-headed flight plans, includ-
ing the use of a blind-navigation radio beam. Bodenschatz was
not surprised by the deputy Führer’s flight. “Hess,” he would
say in captivity, “was the exception. He had nothing no castles,
just a simple apartment. He could bring himself to part with his
possessions.”
The next morning, May , Göring tackled Professor Mess-
erschmitt. “I see that anybody can fly at your airfield, despite
the regulations,” he thundered at the aircraft designer.
“Hess,” retorted the aircraft designer, “was not just any-
body. He was one of the most important ministers.”
“Well, you knew Hess was crazy!”
From all over the Reich the gauleiters and ministers were
assembling at the Berghof that afternoon to hear Hitler’s report
on the background to the Hess affair. Göring drove up there at
three-thirty and spent an hour alone with Hitler first, discuss-
ing who would succeed Hess as “party minister.” There was no
talk of reviving the hollow title of deputy Führer. The
Reichsmarschall spoke bluntly against promoting Martin Bor-
mann to the job. Hitler assured him he was thinking of Bor-
mann more in terms of becoming party treasurer.
“You’re way out if you think Bormann will be satisfied with
that,” retorted Göring.
“Bormann’s ambitions,” said Hitler, “are a matter of in-
difference to me.”
Hitler went down into the hall followed by a grim-faced