Hermann Göring: From WWI Ace to Nazi War Criminal – The Full Story

Few figures from Nazi Germany stir as many contradictions as Hermann Göring: a celebrated World War I flying ace who became Hitler’s right-hand man, only to end his days as a convicted war criminal. This article traces his dramatic rise and fall, from the battlefields of the Great War to his suicide on the eve of execution.

Born: 12 January 1893, Berlin · Died: 15 October 1946, Nuremberg · Role: Reichsmarschall, Commander of the Luftwaffe · Captured: 9 May 1945 · Trial: Nuremberg Trial – convicted of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity

Six key facts from his biography show the arc of his life:

Is Hermann Göring’s Daughter Still Alive?

Who was Edda Göring?

• Göring’s only child, Edda, was born to his second wife Emmy in 1938 (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry).
• After the war, Edda lived a private life and never publicly defended her father.
• She died in 2018 according to multiple news reports, though the exact date remains unconfirmed in primary sources.

Was Hermann Göring’s wife ever found?

• Emmy Göring was arrested by Allied forces after the war and imprisoned (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry).
• She was released in 1946 and died in 1973.

Who Was More Powerful, Göring or Himmler?

What were the roles of Göring and Himmler in the Nazi hierarchy?

Both men were central to Hitler’s regime, but their powers overlapped and shifted. A direct comparison reveals the dynamics:

How did their power dynamics evolve?

• By 1944, Himmler was considered more powerful than Göring (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry).
• Göring’s authority over the Gestapo was transferred to Himmler in 1934, a clear shift (Yale Avalon Project trial record).
• Historian Ian Kershaw notes that Göring’s influence declined as Himmler’s SS state expanded.

How Intelligent Was Hermann Göring?

What was Hermann Göring’s IQ?

• No official score exists, but estimates place him in the 130–140 range (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry).
• He was described as charismatic and strategically sharp, especially in WWI aviation.

How did his intelligence manifest in his career?

• He commanded the “Flying Circus” squadron and shot down 22 Allied aircraft (PBS American Experience profile).
• He built the Gestapo and orchestrated the Four Year Plan.
• But his drug addiction and erratic behavior undermined his effectiveness later in the war.

How Was Hermann Göring Captured?

What happened when Göring surrendered?

• He surrendered to the US Army on 9 May 1945 in Austria (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry).
• He was taken to a POW camp and later flown to Nuremberg for trial.

Where was Göring captured?

• Near Berchtesgaden, in the Austrian Alps, where he had moved his headquarters.

What this means: Göring’s surrender was a symbolic end to the Nazi high command, and his trial set precedents for international law that still resonate today.

Was Hermann Göring a Good Guy?

What were Göring’s crimes?

• He founded the Gestapo and the concentration camp system (Yale Avalon Project trial record).
• He authorized the deportation of Jews and the exploitation of forced labour.
• He was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity at Nuremberg.

How did his contemporaries view him?

• Some saw him as more moderate than Himmler, but the evidence shows full complicity (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry).
• Hitler initially trusted him above all others, but later blamed him for Luftwaffe failures.

Timeline

1. 12 January 1893 – Born in Berlin (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry)
2. 1918 – Awarded Pour le Mérite as WWI ace (PBS American Experience profile)
3. 1922 – Joins Nazi Party (Encyclopaedia Britannica summary)
4. 1933 – Appointed Prussian minister president, founded Gestapo (Yale Avalon Project trial record)
5. 1935 – Appointed Commander of the Luftwaffe
6. 1940 – Promoted to Reichsmarschall
7. 9 May 1945 – Surrenders to US forces (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry)
8. 1946 – Nuremberg Trial and suicide (PBS American Experience profile)

The pattern: Göring’s arc from national hero to disgraced war criminal illustrates the corrupting influence of absolute power and the fragility of personal loyalty in a totalitarian state.

Quotes in Context

“I am not going to be hanged.”

Hermann Göring, on the eve of execution (PBS American Experience profile)

“I appoint Göring as my successor.”

Adolf Hitler, 1939 decree (Encyclopaedia Britannica entry)

“Göring’s power base eroded as the war turned, while Himmler’s expanded.”

Historian Ian Kershaw, Encyclopaedia Britannica entry

The pattern is clear: Göring’s initial supremacy gave way as Hitler’s confidence shifted toward the SS. For modern readers, the lesson is that even the most powerful Nazi could fall from favour. For historians, Göring remains a case study in how charisma and competence can coexist with cruelty.

What this means for historical assessment: Göring’s trajectory shows that institutional power can be as fleeting as personal favor, and that moral compromise often accompanies political ambition.

Related reading: Bashar al-Assad: What Happened to the Syrian President · King George VI Death: Lung Cancer, Smoking, Coronary Thrombosis

His descent into drug addiction and his central role in the Holocaust are further detailed in Görings drug addiction and Holocaust role.

Frequently asked questions