(1894 - 1987) Nazi German Deputy Fuhrer and second in command after Goering, Hess was one of Hitler's closest confidantes and friends. In an unauthorized peace mission, Hess flew a German fighter to England and surrendered, purportedly attempting to ally Germany with Great Britain against Russia. His mission, of course, failed and Hess was imprisoned at Spandau where he was found hanged in 1987. Fine association T.L.S. on his personal letterhead, 2pp. 8vo., Munich, Dec. 21, 1933 to Prof. Jean Hurny in Neuchatel, Switzerland. In part: '...You can hardly imagine what joy you gave me at the time with the unexpected letter that brought me news of you and yours. The joy was all the greater when I saw that you have understanding and sympathy for the work that is going on at the moment takes place in Germany as a continuation of previous years. I frankly admit that I feared that you would be strongly influenced by the hostile sentiments which much of the press is promoting abroad. You must excuse my long silence by saying that I intended to tell you more about what I have experienced since I left Pension Hurny. But I was so overwhelmed that I kept putting off the detailed letter. But I don't want to let the holidays go by without sending you and your dears my heartiest greetings for Christmas and the New Year. My writing is made easier by the fact that I am able to enclose a printed biography that a local publisher published without my intervention, so that I can save myself the detailed description. I am not in the habit of sending this book about myself, but I believe that under the given circumstances I can send it to you without running the risk of being misunderstood...'. Mailing folds, else fine, with envelope and a French newspaper clipping mentioning the relationship between Hess and Hurny. Jean Hurny (1871-1951) was a school professor who offered Hess a place in his home and taught him while Hess was a student in Switzerland.