Hermann Göring

PEOPLE | 1893 - 1946

Hermann Göring was one of the National Socialist regime's most prominent leaders. His career encompassed diverse and powerful roles, including President of the Reichstag, Prime Minister of Prussia, Special Commissioner for the Four-Year Plan, and Master of the Hunt. Despite his multifaceted involvement, much of his legacy is often reduced to his leadership of the Luftwaffe.

Early Life

Born in Bavaria on 12 January 1893, Göring was the second of two sons from his father Hinrich Göring', a colonial official, who was 56 at the time of Hermann's conception in Haiti, where he served as Consul General.

Hermann's mother returned to Bavaria for his birth, leaving him in the care of a friend near Nuremberg for three years. His earliest memory was striking his mother upon her return.

The family's early life was unusual; they resided in Veldenstein Castle, owned by Hermann von Epenstein, Göring's Jewish Godfather, who was openly involved with Göring's mother. Hermann's elderly father was relegated to a small ground-floor bedroom while Epenstein occupied the castle's finest rooms. This arrangement persisted for 15 years.

Göring's education began at home but continued at the Furt private boys' school, a Catholic institution. He was not a diligent student and developed a distaste for intellectualism, famously remarking, "When I hear the word culture I've reached for my Browning." His path shifted when his father enrolled him in Germany's elite officer cadet schools, leading him to the military academy at Gross Lichterfelde outside Berlin by 1910. He passed his finals with ease and joined the infantry in March 1912, passing his officer examinations in December 1913.

WW1

The outbreak of World War I marked a turning point in Göring's life. As a platoon commander, he earned an Iron Cross Second Class within five weeks. Shortly thereafter, he was struck with arthritis and evacuated to southern Germany for treatment. There, he met Lieutenant Bruno Lörzer, a flying trainee, and was inspired to apply for airborne observer training. By October 1914, he was Lörzer's observer, proving himself proficient in producing clear enemy photographs. He and Lörzer were personally awarded the Iron Cross First Class by the Crown Prince of Hohenzollern in March 1915. Later, in June, they remarkably downed an enemy plane with their unarmed aircraft, earning further praise.

Göring undertook his first solo flight in October 1915 and achieved his first aerial kill in November. In March 1916, he shot down a bomber while flying a heavily armoured fighter. In November 1916, he sustained a hip injury from machine-gun fire but managed to crash-land his plane behind his own lines. By November 1917, he had 15 kills. Despite a throat infection in February 1918, he ascended to lead a fighter wing by July, eventually receiving the coveted Pour le Mérite.

Interwar Era

After the war, Göring demobilised his men, refusing to surrender his equipment to the victors. He embarked on a career in Scandinavia, first administering a plane in Denmark and later joining a Swedish airline. In February 1920, he met Karen von Fock, a married woman five years his senior, at Count Eric von Rosen's castle. A public scandal ensued in Stockholm due to their open love affair, with Karen abandoning her seven-year-old son, Thomas. Karen and Göring eventually moved to Germany, where they lived in poverty near Munich while he studied economic history at the local university.

In October or November 1922, Göring encountered Adolf Hitler at a demonstration in Munich. Impressed by Hitler's oratory, he joined the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) the following day.

By November, Göring was made head of the Sturmabteilung (SA). He married Karen in February 1923. Göring rapidly transformed the SA from a rabble into a disciplined force. With the support of the Bavarian government, the SA grew significantly. In November 1923, Göring participated in the Beer Hall Putsch, where he was shot in the groin, narrowly missing an artery. He was smuggled into Austria amidst a police chase, beginning a period of exile and a crippling morphine addiction to manage his pain.

Göring's 10-month stay in Italy in 1924, on a mission to secure a loan from Benito Mussolini for the Nazi Party, was an ignominious failure. Mussolini showed no interest in meeting him. During this period, Göring's addiction worsened, leading to erratic and violent behaviour that deeply distressed Karen. He underwent two drug withdrawal treatments in Sweden, eventually returning to Germany in January 1927 after receiving amnesty. Initially, he struggled, blackballed from a veterans' association and viewed with indifference by Hitler. Ernst Röhm provided him with a place to stay.

In May 1928, Göring secured a seat in the Reichstag after threatening Hitler with lawsuits for unpaid dues. This position brought him a guaranteed income and influence, ending his poverty. He began receiving bribes, particularly from the growing German aviation industry, which he helped to expand in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. His financial standing improved dramatically, allowing him to renovate his apartment and for Karen to host lavishly.

He became a significant figure in Berlin society, cultivating relationships with industrialists and high-profile individuals, including the Kaiser's son, Prince August Wilhelm. His influence contributed to the Nazi Party's electoral success in September 1930, when they became the second largest party in the Reichstag, and he was chosen as Deputy Speaker.

In May 1931, Göring made another visit to Italy, where he reportedly met Pope Pius XI to dispel propaganda accusing the Nazi Party of Paganism. He also met Mussolini, though he had previously falsely claimed to have done so. Karen's health deteriorated severely, and she died in October 1931. Her death spurred Göring to immerse himself further in politics, using his growing power to secure his position. In January 1933, Göring played a crucial role in securing Hitler's appointment as Chancellor, leading negotiations that brought the Nazis to power.

Upon Hitler's ascent, Göring was appointed Prussian Minister of the Interior, wielding immense control over the largest police force in Germany.

He immediately initiated a purge of dissidents, replacing police chiefs and officers with loyal SA and SS men. He banned Communist meetings and allowed SA thugs to terrorise opposition gatherings, telling police officials, "My actions are not affected by legal considerations... Shoot first and ask questions afterward."

He also established political concentration camps, though he later claimed to have intervened to shut down brutal, makeshift SA camps. In February 1933, Göring was appointed Reich Commissar for Aviation, a role through which he, with Erhard Milch, rapidly built a clandestine military air force.

Göring's economic control expanded significantly. In 1935, he took charge of gasoline and synthetic rubber production, and in 1936, he was appointed Commissioner for the Four-Year Plan. This position placed him firmly at the helm of the German economy, giving him control over lucrative government contracts and making him one of the wealthiest men in Europe through widespread bribery and personal enrichment.

His overspending was legendary, transforming Karin Hall, his new country lodge named after his late wife, into a lavish sanctuary filled with gifted and looted treasures.

In 1934, Göring was secretly appointed Hitler's second-in-command and designated successor. He led the charge against Ernst Röhm and the SA in the Night of the Long Knives in June 1934, drawing up hit lists and issuing orders for executions and arrests. He claimed to protect some individuals, including Franz von Papen, but played a central role in the murders of 84 people. This period saw his morphine addiction worsen, contributing to increasingly erratic behaviour.

In foreign policy, Göring often acted as an unofficial foreign minister. He reassured Mussolini that Germany had no designs on Austria, which Mussolini considered within his sphere of influence. He played a key role in the Anschluss of Austria in March 1938, using telephone calls to bully Austrian officials into resignation. He also consistently worked to foster good relations with Britain, hoping for an alliance against Communism.

During the Sudetenland crisis in 1938, Göring helped avert war by impressing French and British officials with the Luftwaffe's strength and by negotiating directly with Chamberlain. However, his influence waned in 1939 as Hitler increasingly prepared for war with Poland, and Göring's efforts for peace ultimately failed.

WW2

World War II began in September 1939 with the invasion of Poland. Göring, as head of the Luftwaffe, achieved early successes, annihilating the Polish Air Force within days. He continued secret talks with British officials, even hinting at taking over from Hitler to achieve peace and halt the persecution of JEWS.

The Mechelen Incident in January 1940, where top-secret invasion plans were recovered by the Belgians from a crashed German plane, severely damaged Göring's prestige.

During the Battle of France in May 1940, Göring's Luftwaffe pounded enemy defences and covered the advancing troops. He infamously ordered the bombing of Rotterdam, leading to the destruction of the city and hundreds of civilian deaths. He then claimed his air force could destroy British and French forces trapped at Dunkirk, preventing the German Army from engaging, though the British and French ultimately escaped by sea due to unfavourable weather conditions for the Luftwaffe. After the fall of France, Göring focused on looting priceless art collections from newly conquered territories, particularly Jewish-owned ones, to fill Karin Hall.

In August 1940, Göring was promoted to Reichsmarschall. He initially adhered to Hitler's orders to avoid civilian targets in Britain during the Battle of Britain, but after British raids on Berlin, he received permission to retaliate, leading to the bombing of London. Despite high civilian casualties, the RAF successfully defended British airspace, preventing German air supremacy.

Göring vehemently opposed the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) in June 1941, arguing for a focus on the Mediterranean and warning against a two-front war. However, he eventually relented to Hitler's will.

The initial stages of the invasion saw immense success for the Luftwaffe against the unprepared Soviet air force and ground forces. Göring's health, marked by heart and stomach problems and headaches, began to decline. He increasingly retreated into his fantasy world, preferring to avoid uncomfortable truths about the war. He continued his morphine addiction, which impaired his judgement and leadership.

The Stalingrad disaster in late 1942 was a turning point. Despite initial promises by his chief of air staff that the Luftwaffe could supply the encircled Sixth Army by air, Göring, relying on inflated figures, failed to deliver. He was heavily blamed for the catastrophe, further straining his relationship with Hitler. His credibility and influence plummeted.

As the war progressed, Göring's role diminished. He was largely absent from the command centres, preferring to relax at Karin Hall or engage in art acquisition in occupied territories.

Allied bombing campaigns intensified, devastating German cities like Hamburg and Dresden, causing hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths. Göring often shifted blame for these failures, notably scapegoating General Hans Jeschonnek, his chief of air staff, who subsequently committed suicide.

By 1943-44, Göring's rivals, Himmler and Bormann, had eclipsed him in influence, constantly intriguing against him and supplying Hitler with fabricated evidence of his incompetence. Hitler's contempt for Göring grew, and his direct involvement in Luftwaffe affairs increased. Göring, despite possessing advanced jet and rocket technology, struggled with fuel shortages and production issues, failing to turn the tide of the air war.

In April 1945, as the Soviet forces closed in on Berlin, Göring, believing Hitler to be incapacitated or dead, attempted to assume leadership, citing his 1941 decree as Hitler's successor. He sent a radio message to Hitler outlining his intent to negotiate peace with the Allies. However, Bormann, Himmler, and Ribbentrop, who were with Hitler in the bunker, convinced the Führer that Göring's actions constituted high treason. Hitler ordered Göring's arrest and stripped him of all his offices and party membership.

Göring was arrested by the SS in his Obersalzberg villa on 23 April 1945. He was moved under SS custody towards the south, enduring aerial bombardments and harsh conditions. On 6 May 1945, he was liberated by American forces and immediately sought to negotiate with the Allies, believing his status as a decorated war hero and his past peace efforts would make him an acceptable interlocutor. He attempted to meet General Dwight D. Eisenhower, but his request was denied.

Göring was subsequently interrogated by Allied newsmen and officers, where he blamed Bormann for much of the regime's failures and expressed his opposition to the invasion of Russia. He was then transported to Luxembourg and later to Nuremberg to stand trial before the International Military Tribunal.

During the Nuremberg Trials, Göring's morale remained surprisingly high. He captivated the courtroom with his intelligence, wit, and defiance, often outmanoeuvring the Allied prosecutors. He dismissed the trial as a "purely political act by the victors" and asserted that he would only answer for his actions to the German people and courts. He accepted political responsibility for his acts but denied knowledge of the extermination of JEWS, blaming Himmler.

On 1 October 1946, Göring was found guilty on all four counts of the indictment and sentenced to death by hanging. He appealed for a soldier's death by firing squad, which was denied. On 15 October 1946, hours before his scheduled execution, Göring committed suicide in his cell by ingesting a cyanide capsule, which he had secretly retained since his capture. He stated he could not permit the German Reichsmarschall to be hanged, for Germany's sake. His death, a final act of defiance, denied the Allies the public spectacle of his execution.