Hermann Göring: Biography, Role in Nazis, Nuremberg Trial & Death
He was Hitler’s second-in-command, the founder of the Gestapo, and the man who ordered preparations for the Final Solution. Yet when faced with the Nuremberg tribunal, he painted himself as a mere soldier following orders — his story one of addiction, charisma, and a chilling final act of defiance.
Born: 12 January 1893 ·
Died: 15 October 1946 ·
Role: Commander of the Luftwaffe, Reichsmarschall ·
Conviction: Crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity ·
Fate: Suicide by cyanide before execution
Quick snapshot
- Göring ordered Heydrich to implement the Final Solution (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia).
- He was the second most powerful Nazi official after Hitler (Britannica).
- He committed suicide to avoid execution (Britannica).
- He was addicted to dihydrocodeine and morphine (TheCollector — tier 3 source; some historians question dosage details).
- The extent of Göring’s direct knowledge of the extermination camps (Britannica).
- The precise quantity and frequency of his drug consumption (TheCollector).
- How much he personally profited from looting art and property (Britannica).
- Historians continue to debate Göring’s direct responsibility for the Holocaust (Britannica).
- New archival discoveries may shed light on his personal profits from looting (Harvard Nuremberg Project).
- The full transcript of his Nuremberg testimony remains a key research resource (Harvard Nuremberg Project).
This quick reference table sums up Göring’s biographical details.
| Born | 12 January 1893 |
| Died | 15 October 1946 |
| Political party | NSDAP (Nazi) |
| Highest rank | Reichsmarschall |
| Commands held | Luftwaffe (1935–1945) |
| Spouse(s) | Carin von Kantzow (1923–1931), Emmy Sonnemann (1935–1946) |
What should readers know first about Hermann Göring?
Who was Hermann Göring?
Hermann Göring was a leading Nazi politician, military commander, and convicted war criminal. He founded the Gestapo and commanded the Luftwaffe (Britannica). He was the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany after Hitler.
Why is Hermann Göring historically significant?
- He was one of the primary architects of the Nazi police state (Britannica).
- He issued the July 31, 1941 order to Heydrich that launched the Final Solution (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia).
- He was sentenced to death at Nuremberg but committed suicide (Britannica).
The implication: Göring’s trajectory shows how charisma and criminality can coexist at the highest levels of power.
What is the latest verified information about Hermann Göring?
What do historians agree on today?
- Göring’s role in the Holocaust is confirmed by his July 31, 1941 letter to Heydrich ordering preparations for the Final Solution (USHMM Holocaust Encyclopedia).
- His drug addiction (dihydrocodeine and morphine) is well-documented (TheCollector).
- His testimony at Nuremberg reveals his attempt to distance himself from the worst atrocities (Yale Avalon Project).
What new evidence has emerged?
Digital archives like the Harvard Nuremberg Project now provide searchable access to thousands of trial documents, briefs, exhibits, and evidence files. This has deepened understanding of Göring’s central role in Nazi crimes.
The July 31, 1941 Göring letter is the single most direct documentary link between a top Nazi leader and the systematic murder of Europe’s Jews.
The pattern: each new digital archive reinforces the documentary evidence of Göring’s authority over the Holocaust machinery.
What are the most common user questions on Hermann Göring?
How did Hermann Göring die?
He died by cyanide suicide on October 15, 1946, hours before his scheduled execution (Britannica).
Was Hermann Göring married?
He was married twice; his second wife was actress Emmy Sonnemann (married 1935). His first wife Carin von Kantzow died in 1931. Göring had no biological children, but raised a daughter, Edda, with Emmy.
What was Hermann Göring’s rank?
He held the unique rank of Reichsmarschall, the highest in the Wehrmacht, created specifically for him (Wikipedia).
Göring was both a celebrated World War I flying ace (Pour le Mérite) and the man who ordered the Holocaust’s bureaucratic machinery to turn.
The catch: the same man who won Germany’s highest military honor also authored its greatest crime.
Which official sources confirm key claims about Hermann Göring?
Primary archival sources
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum holds the Göring letter and other documents.
- Harvard Law School’s Nuremberg Project provides the complete trial records.
- Yale Avalon Project hosts the March 20, 1946 trial transcript with Göring’s exchange.
Authoritative websites and institutions
- Encyclopaedia Britannica (Tier 2) provides a well-researched biography.
- Robert H. Jackson Center (Tier 2) catalogs video testimony from March 8, 1946.
- New York Department of Financial Services (Tier 1) lists Göring as a Holocaust perpetrator.
What this means: these sources form a verifiable chain from primary documents to institutional curation.
What is still unclear or unverified about Hermann Göring?
Göring’s direct knowledge of extermination camps
Historians debate whether Göring knew the full scale of the Holocaust while it was ongoing. Some argue his July 1941 order shows he set the policy, but may not have tracked its implementation in detail.
Extent of his drug addiction
The precise dosage and duration of his drug use remain uncertain. According to TheCollector, after rising to power in Prussia he had unrestricted access to drugs and used his position to obtain them.
Role in the Röhm purge
His involvement in the Night of the Long Knives (1934) is documented but his personal responsibility is debated among historians.
The implication: the gaps in our knowledge about Göring circle around how much he directly controlled versus delegated — a distinction that matters for understanding how the Nazi state operated.
Timeline of Hermann Göring’s life and downfall
- 12 January 1893 — Born in Rosenheim, Kingdom of Bavaria.
- 1914–1918 — Served as a fighter pilot; awarded the Pour le Mérite (Blue Max).
- 1922 — Joined the Nazi Party.
- 1933 — Appointed Prussian Minister of Interior; founded the Gestapo.
- 1935 — Appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe.
- 31 July 1941 — Wrote letter to Heydrich ordering preparations for the “Final Solution” (USHMM).
- May 1945 — Surrendered to US forces; captured.
- 1 October 1946 — Sentenced to death at the Nuremberg trials (Britannica).
- 15 October 1946 — Committed suicide by cyanide capsule hours before execution (Britannica).
The pattern: Göring’s trajectory from war hero to Nazi architect to condemned war criminal is a stark study in how absolute power corrupts — and how even the most powerful can’t escape accountability.
Confirmed facts vs. uncertainties
Confirmed facts
- Göring ordered Heydrich to implement the Final Solution.
- He was the second most powerful Nazi official.
- He committed suicide to avoid execution.
- He was addicted to dihydrocodeine and morphine (though dosage details are debated).
What’s unclear
- The extent of Göring’s direct knowledge of the extermination camps.
- The precise quantity and frequency of his drug consumption.
- How much he personally profited from looting of art and property.
Voices from history
“I never gave orders to kill either Jews or any other human beings. I did not consider that my job.”
— Hermann Göring, testimony at the International Military Tribunal, recorded in the Yale Avalon Project transcript
“Göring was a man of many contradictions — a brilliant organizer and a drug-addicted sybarite, a war hero and a war criminal.”
— Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich, cited in Britannica
For anyone studying Nazi Germany, Hermann Göring remains the essential case study of how charisma and criminality can coexist. The July 1941 letter he signed launched the machinery of genocide, and his Nuremberg testimony laid bare the moral vacuum at the regime’s core. His suicide robbed justice of its final act, but the historical record — now more accessible than ever through digital archives — leaves no doubt about his guilt. For researchers and the public alike, the choice is clear: confront the full truth of Göring’s role, or risk forgetting how easily power can be weaponized.
Related reading: Roy Cohn · Frank Stronach Guilty Verdict
Readers interested in a detailed account of Görings final days can find a thorough treatment of his trial and suicide.
Frequently asked questions
Was Hermann Göring Hitler’s official successor?
Yes, Hitler designated Göring as his successor in 1939, but in April 1945 Hitler removed him from all positions and ordered his arrest after Göring attempted to assume leadership. Göring was later captured by US forces.
Did Hermann Göring really commit suicide?
Yes. On the night before his scheduled execution, he swallowed a cyanide capsule he had hidden from guards. The exact method of concealment remains debated (Britannica).
What was Hermann Göring’s role in the Gestapo?
As Prussian Minister of the Interior in 1933, he founded the Gestapo (Secret State Police), which later became a key instrument of Nazi repression (Britannica).
What happened to Hermann Göring’s art collection?
Göring amassed a vast art collection through looting, purchase, and theft from Jewish families across occupied Europe. After the war, much of it was recovered by Allied forces and returned to rightful owners or their heirs.
Did Hermann Göring have any children?
He had one daughter, Edda Göring (born 1938), with his second wife Emmy Sonnemann.
What was the conflict between Hermann Göring and Albert Speer?
Both were top Nazis but had a strained relationship. Speer criticized Göring’s drug use and corruption in his memoirs, while Göring dismissed Speer as an ambitious technocrat. At Nuremberg, Speer distanced himself from Hitler while Göring remained loyal.
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