Archive

Large scale document archive

1980 Feb 28 - 1991 Jun 11
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/3356
Germany (Rudolf Hess)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2017 Jul 20
Classification: Secret
Page count: 100
Any docs withheld? 1
Themes: British relations with the US, British relations with the Soviet Union, British relations with France, British relations with the Federal Republic of Germany, Foreign policy (USA), Foreign policy (USSR & successor states)

PREM19/3356 - download whole file (PDF, 90.48 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 1 - 15 of 15

Date Value Title
80 Oct 13 Mo Minor Germany: FCO letter to No,10 (“Hess”) [UK Ambassador to reply negatively to appeal for Hess's release from Franz Josef Strauss; Soviets block it] [declassified Jul 2017]
82 Sep 24 Fr Minor Germany: FCO telegram 457 to UKE Peking (1802Z) (Chancellor Schmidt letter on Hess) [calls for clemency after 41 years in gaol; MT: "I incline to share Helmut Schmidt's views"] [declassified Jul 2017]
82 Sep 29 We Minor Germany: FCO telegram to UKE Bonn (1300Z) (“Hess: Appeal for Release”) [MT reply to Schmidt's appeal for clemency - share your concern, will continue to appeal to Russians for his release] [declassified Jul 2017]
83 Mar 23 We Minor Germany: MT letter to Cyril Townsend MP (Hess) ["we should not leave any avenue unexplored" for his release] [declassified Jul 2017]
84 Mar 14 We Minor Germany: Chancellor Kohl letter to MT (“Hess”) ["for reason of humanity should no longer be denied a pardon"] [declassified Jul 2017]
84 Apr 9 Mo Minor Germany: MT letter to Chancellor Kohl (Hess) [successive British Governments have tried to secure his release "very many times" but Soviets "have remained obdurate"; have not abandoned hope of securing release] [declassified Jul 2017]
86 Jul 21 Mo Minor Germany: Chancellor Kohl letter to MT (Hess) ["urgent appeal to you to grant him a pardon"] [declassified Jul 2017]
86 Aug 20 We Major Germany: MT letter to Chancellor Kohl (Hess) [modest improvements in his conditions made after 1984 appeal; unilateral release of Hess would breach Four Power Agreements which have preserved security and freedom of West Berlin] [declassified Jul 2017]
87 Mar 30 Mo Minor Germany: MT letter to Cyril Townsend MP (Hess) [Russian attitude "short-sighted and inhumane"; US, Britain and France considering further appeal to Russians in view of Hess's illness] [declassified Jul 2017]
87 Aug 17 Mo Major Germany: No.10 telex to MT (“Hess”) [circumstances of his suicide] [declassified Jul 2017]
87 Aug 19 We Minor Germany: BMG Berlin telegram 165 to FCO (1940Z) (“Hess: The Note”) [transcript of suicide note; details of autopsy] [declassified Jul 2017]
87 Aug 20 Th Minor Germany: BMG Berlin telegram 172 to FCO (1700Z) (“Hess: The Note”) [US and French want proper handwriting analysis of Hess's suicide note, "to confront any public suspicion of forgery with firm evidence"] [declassified Jul 2017]
88 Feb 1 Mo Minor Germany: No.10 minute (Hess files) [no withheld files; questions by Labour MP] [declassified Jul 2017]
88 Feb 24 We Minor Germany: MOD letter to No.10 (“Redevelopment of the site of the Spandau Prison”) [demolished following his death and site retained for British military use to prevent it becoming "a place of pilgrimage for Nazi sympathisers"] [declassified Jul 2017]
91 Jun 11 Tu Minor Germany: FCO letter to No.10 (“Hess and the KGB”) [new conspiracy theories] [declassified Jul 2017]