Sixth Form Lecture with Major General Peter Williams

On Tuesday 10 March, our Sixth Form students and GCSE History students were joined by Major General Peter Williams, for a lecture on 'Rudolf Hess: A Most Curious Life & Death'.

Chronicling key moments in the life and death of Rudolf Hess, this talk covered the strange saga of the career of Hitler's Deputy. 

Starting with his early life, Major General Peter Williams looked at Rudolf Hess’ time in German politics, his passion for flying, and time prior to joining the Nazi Party. 

After hearing Hitler speak at a rally, students examined how Hess became interested and then infatuated with Adolf Hitler, becoming an early supporter of the NSDAP, eventually being named Deputy Fuhrer.  The talk then moved on to looking at Hess’ progression of influence within the party and his eventual downfall.

Major General Peter Williams, covered the key milestones in Rudolf Hess’ time throughout his time in office. Covering the events that led to his flight to Scotland in May 1941 and his subsequent 40-year incarceration in Spandau Prison in West Berlin. 

Based, in part, on Major General Williams’ experiences both as a guard commander and as the British Governor's interpreter in the mid-1970s and early 1980s, students gained a unique insight into the story of Hess’ capture, trial and imprisonment.  Major General Williams then touched on the years that Hess spent incarcerated and how this affected his legacy and his personal relationships with his family.

We finished the lecture looking at the aftermath of Hess’ death and the conspiracy theories and books that have been written since his suicide on 17th August 1987.  Major General Peter Williams then discussed the continual developments even after his death, looking at the decision over his final resting place, the death of his son Wolf Rüdiger Hess in 2001 and the 75th anniversary of Rudolf Hess' arrival in the United Kingdom in 2016.

Finally, students then had an opportunity to ask Major General Williams questions on his experiencing, with many eager to know more about his career and how he progressed through the ranks within the British Army.  Finishing with a round of applause, this was a thoroughly entertaining and informative lecture, with many asking when Major General Peter Williams would be back!