i ▁official . ▁Es ser ▁then ▁went ▁into ▁hiding ▁only ▁to ▁be ▁re - arr ested ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁by ▁the ▁West ▁German ▁Police . ▁Ch arg ed ▁under ▁the ▁new ▁West ▁Germany ▁anti - N az ification ▁laws , ▁he ▁was ▁found ▁guilty ▁of ▁being ▁a ▁" major ▁off ender " ▁and ▁sent enced ▁to ▁five ▁years ▁hard ▁labour ▁with ▁a ▁loss ▁of ▁civil ▁rights ▁for ▁life . ▁He ▁was ▁then ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Bav aria ' s ▁Minister ▁President ▁Franz ▁Josef ▁Stra uß ▁con gr at ulated ▁Es ser ▁on ▁his ▁ 8 0 th ▁birth day . ▁ ▁Es ser ▁died ▁in ▁Diet rams z ell , ▁Bav aria ▁aged ▁ 8 0 ▁on ▁ 7 ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁▁▁ ▁Miller , ▁Michael ▁D . ▁& ▁Schul z , ▁Andreas ▁( 2 0 1 2 ). ▁G au le iter : ▁The ▁Regional ▁Le aders ▁Of ▁The ▁Naz i ▁Party ▁And ▁Their ▁Deput ies , ▁ 1 9 2 5 - 1 9 4 5 ▁( Her bert ▁Al bre cht - H . ▁Wilhelm ▁H utt mann )- Volume ▁ 1 . ▁R . ▁James ▁B ender ▁Publishing . ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁▁ ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Bav aria ▁Category : Mil it ary ▁personnel ▁of ▁Bav aria ▁Category : G erman ▁male ▁journal ists ▁Category : N azi ▁leaders ▁Category