Hermann Göring – Life, Death, and Nuremberg Trial

Hermann Göring rose from decorated World War I flying ace to become the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany, commanding the Luftwaffe and serving as Hitler’s designated successor for much of the war. A central figure in the Nazi state, he was convicted at Nuremberg for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and cheated the hangman by taking his own life with a cyanide capsule hours before his scheduled execution. For a comprehensive overview of his life, see the Hermann Göring – Wife, Death, Rank and Key Facts article.

Göring’s trajectory illustrates both the rapid consolidation of power within the Nazi regime and the ultimate collapse of that power. Born into a wealthy family in 1893, he joined the Nazi Party in 1922, helped build the police state, and became the chief architect of economic and military policies that enabled the Third Reich’s aggressive expansion. Yet his later years were marked by drug addiction, physical decline, and a dramatic fall from favor with Hitler.

The trial that ended his life also cemented his place in history as a major war criminal. The International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg found him guilty on all four counts, linking him directly to the machinery of Nazi persecution and mass murder, including the Holocaust.

How Did Hermann Göring Die?

• Göring was the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany before falling out of favor with Hitler.
• He founded the Gestapo and helped create the first Nazi concentration camps.
• His drug addiction (morphine) heavily influenced his later behavior and physical decline.
• He cheated the hangman by committing suicide hours before his scheduled execution.
• Despite his obesity and drug use, he was a highly decorated WWI flying ace.
• He requested execution by firing squad but was denied; the sentence was hanging.
• The trial lasted 218 days, with Göring as the most prominent and skilled self-defender.

Who Were Hermann Göring’s Wife and Daughter?

Carin von Kantzow and Emmy Göring

Göring’s first wife was Carin von Kantzow, a Swedish aristocrat whom he married in 1923. She died of tuberculosis in 1931, a loss that deeply affected him. Sources identify her as his spouse in the biographical record but do not provide a full family tree beyond this marriage.

In 1935, Göring married Emmy Sonnemann, an actress. The couple had one child together, a daughter named Edda Göring, born in 1938. After the war, Emmy was briefly imprisoned and later fined as part of denazification proceedings.

What Happened to Göring’s Family After the War?

Following Göring’s suicide in 1946, his wife Emmy and daughter Edda largely withdrew from public life. The family’s property was confiscated, and they faced legal and financial repercussions tied to the Nazi regime’s crimes. Historical sources provide limited detail on their postwar lives beyond these basic facts.

Weight and IQ: What Is Known and What Remains Unclear

Göring’s physical appearance changed dramatically over his lifetime. Contemporary photographs confirm he was obese, especially in his later years, with estimates placing his weight at over 250 pounds. This physical decline paralleled his reported drug use and reduced standing with Hitler.

Claims about Göring’s IQ — often cited in the range of 130 to 140 — circulate widely but lack any reliable test record. No verifiable evidence supports these numbers, and they are widely considered a post-war rumor.

What Was Hermann Göring’s Role in the Holocaust?

The prosecution at Nuremberg and the Tribunal itself linked Göring directly to the machinery of Nazi persecution and mass murder. His most significant documented action came on July 31, 1941, when he authorized Reinhard Heydrich to plan the “solution to the Jewish question in Europe.” This directive is widely regarded as a key step in the implementation of the Final Solution.

The charges against Göring included crimes against humanity involving the murder and enslavement of civilians, including Jews. He was also convicted for the plundering of property, mistreatment of prisoners of war, and the mass murder and enslavement of civilians. Sources from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Wikipedia entry on Hermann Göring confirm that he was a central administrative figure in the Holocaust, though not its primary ideological architect.

What Was Hermann Göring’s Rank and Position in Nazi Germany?

Reichsmarschall: The Highest Rank

By 1935, Hitler had appointed Göring Commander-in-Chief of the German Air Force. By mid-1940, he held the rank of Reichsmarschall, making him senior to all other German armed forces commanders. This rank was created specifically for him and placed him above field marshals in the military hierarchy.

Why Was Göring Hitler’s Successor?

Hitler designated Göring as his successor in 1939, reflecting the trust and reliance the Führer placed in his longtime lieutenant. However, by April 1945, as the war was collapsing, Göring asked to assume leadership if Hitler died. Hitler interpreted this as an act of betrayal, stripped him of all his positions and power, and denounced him in his will. After Hitler’s suicide, Göring’s designation was effectively voided.

How Did Göring Lose Favor with Hitler?

The relationship between the two men deteriorated sharply in the final months of the war. Göring’s drug addiction, his inability to prevent Allied bombing of German cities, and his perceived political maneuvering led Hitler to view him as unreliable. The request to assume leadership was the final rupture.

Timeline of Key Events in Hermann Göring’s Life

1. 1893 — Born in Rosenheim, Germany
2. 1914–1918 — Serves as a fighter pilot in WWI, awarded the Pour le Mérite
3. 1922 — Joins the Nazi Party
4. 1932 — Becomes President of the Reichstag
5. 1933 — Appointed Prussian Minister President, creates the Gestapo
6. 1935 — Marries Emmy Sonnemann; daughter Edda born 1938
7. 1940 — Promoted to Reichsmarschall, designated Hitler’s successor
8. 1945 — Surrenders to US forces; arrested
9. 1946 — Nuremberg trial, sentenced to death; commits suicide hours before execution

What Is Certain and What Remains Unclear About Hermann Göring?

What Was Hermann Göring’s Broader Significance in Nazi Germany?

Hermann Göring was one of the most powerful officials in the Nazi state. The Britannica entry on Hermann Göring describes him as a leader of the Nazi Party and one of the primary architects of the Nazi police state. He founded the Gestapo, oversaw the creation of the first concentration camps, and played a central role in preparing the German economy for war.

His drug addiction — documented by sources such as a study in the National Library of Medicine — heavily influenced his later years. By the 1920s, he appeared dependent on morphine, and while he later denied that this had been a continuing addiction, reports confirm he was being weaned off drugs while in Allied custody after the war. The HistoryExtra article on Göring notes that he was once Hitler’s chosen successor and the most powerful man in Nazi Germany after the Führer, but his physical and political decline was dramatic.

Göring’s role as a second-in-command within an authoritarian regime raises broader questions about how power operates in such systems. His trajectory shows that even the most trusted lieutenants could be discarded when they were no longer useful or when loyalty was questioned. For further biographical information, the Hermann Göring – Wife, Death, Rank and Key Facts article provides additional context.

What Do the Historical Sources Say About Hermann Göring?

“Hermann Göring was the second most powerful official in Nazi Germany.”

— United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

“Göring was a leader of the Nazi Party and one of the primary architects of the Nazi police state.”

— Encyclopædia Britannica

“Göring was once Hitler’s chosen successor, and the most powerful man in Nazi Germany after the Führer.”

— HistoryExtra

The Nuremberg trial itself provides a rich primary source. Göring was the most prominent defendant and, according to trial records, a skilled self-defender. The trial lasted 218 days, and his own statements during the proceedings offer a window into his thinking and his efforts to defend his actions. PBS’s coverage of the trial and USHMM’s footage of Göring testifying provide direct access to this historical record.

Summary: Why Does Hermann Göring Matter Today?

Hermann Göring’s life and death offer a concentrated case study in how power is accumulated, exercised, and lost within a criminal regime. From his early military heroism to his central role in the Holocaust and his final act of defiance at Nuremberg, Göring embodies the complexity of individual responsibility within state-sponsored atrocity. For readers seeking a deeper understanding of the Nazi leadership, the Hermann Göring – Wife, Death, Rank and Key Facts article provides additional detail on his personal and political biography.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hermann Göring