Rudolf Hess, German soldier and politician (born 1894)

Rudolf Walter Richard Hess was a German politician, convicted war criminal and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position until 1941, when he flew solo to Scotland in an attempt to negotiate the United Kingdom's exit from the Second World War. He was taken prisoner and eventually convicted of crimes against peace. He was still serving his life sentence at the time of his suicide in 1987.

August 17 is the 229th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 136 days remain until the end of the year.