He played a key role in the discovery of the last will and testament of Adolf Hitler, which was dictated during the last days of the war in Europe and laid out the succession of leadership following his impending suicide, as the Red Army overtook Berlin and encircled the Führerbunker.

Born in Nuremberg as Hans Arnold Wangersheim on July 25, 1924, he grew up in an orphanage after being placed there as a child following the divorce of his parents.

[2] Weiss served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, but his training as a tail gunner ended when the plane he was in crashed and severely injured his legs.

[1] Weiss's unit was given the responsibility of confirming Adolf Hitler's death, and together with Hugh Trevor-Roper located Wilhelm Zander, who had been Martin Bormann's adjutant, using information that had been obtained by contacting members of his family.

Under interrogation, Zander disclosed that he had been sent out of the bunker in order to transport a series of documents, which included an attestation to Hitler's marriage to Eva Braun.