▁be ▁the ▁proud est ▁moment ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁ ▁Before ▁his ▁departure ▁from ▁Germany , ▁H ess ▁had ▁given ▁his ▁adj ut ant , ▁Karl hein z ▁P int sch , ▁a ▁letter ▁addressed ▁to ▁Hitler ▁that ▁detailed ▁his ▁intent ions ▁to ▁open ▁peace ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁British . ▁He ▁planned ▁to ▁initially ▁do ▁so ▁with ▁the ▁Duke ▁of ▁Hamilton , ▁at ▁his ▁home , ▁D ung avel ▁House , ▁bel ieving ▁( f als ely ) ▁that ▁the ▁du ke ▁was ▁willing ▁to ▁negoti ate ▁peace ▁with ▁the ▁Naz is ▁on ▁terms ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁acceptable ▁to ▁Hitler . ▁P int sch ▁delivered ▁the ▁letter ▁to ▁Hitler ▁at ▁the ▁Berg hof ▁around ▁no on ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁May . ▁After ▁reading ▁the ▁letter , ▁Hitler ▁let ▁loose ▁an ▁out c ry ▁heard ▁throughout ▁the ▁entire ▁Berg hof ▁and ▁sent ▁for ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁his ▁inner ▁circle , ▁concerned ▁that ▁a ▁put sch ▁might ▁be ▁under way . ▁ ▁Hitler ▁wor ried ▁that ▁his ▁al lies , ▁Italy ▁and ▁Japan , ▁would ▁perce ive ▁H ess ' s ▁act ▁as ▁an ▁attempt ▁by ▁Hitler ▁to ▁secret ly ▁open ▁peace ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁the ▁British . ▁Hitler ▁contact ed ▁M uss ol ini ▁specifically ▁to ▁re ass ure ▁him ▁otherwise . ▁For ▁this ▁reason , ▁Hitler ▁ordered ▁that ▁the ▁German ▁press ▁should ▁character ise ▁H ess ▁as ▁a ▁mad man ▁who ▁made ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁fly ▁to ▁Scotland ▁entirely ▁on ▁his ▁own , ▁without ▁Hitler ' s ▁knowledge ▁or ▁authority .