Hermann Wilhelm Goring

Hermann Wilhelm Göring was a German politician, military leader, and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945. A veteran World War I fighter pilot ace, Göring was a recipient of the Pour le Mérite ("The Blue Max"). He was the last commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG I), the fighter wing once led by Manfred von Richthofen. An early member of the Nazi Party, Göring was among those wounded in Adolf Hitler's failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923. While receiving treatment for his injuries, he developed an addiction to morphine which persisted until the last year of his life. Göring was appointed as Hitler's minister without portfolio in 1933 and became president of the Reichstag in 1932. He was also appointed as Reichsminister of Aviation and created the Luftwaffe, the German air force, in 1935. He played a key role in the Nazi seizure of power and the consolidation of the Nazi police state. He was responsible for implementing the "Aryanization" policy that confiscated Jewish property and businesses, and for ordering the Kristallnacht pogrom in 1938. He was also involved in the planning and execution of the annexation of Austria, the occupation of Czechoslovakia, and the invasion of Poland. During World War II, Göring was in charge of the economic affairs of Nazi Germany and oversaw the Four Year Plan, which aimed to make Germany self-sufficient and ready for war. He also directed the Luftwaffe's operations and strategy, but failed to achieve air superiority over Britain or to prevent the Allied bombing of Germany. His influence and prestige declined as the war progressed, especially after the defeat at Stalingrad and the Allied invasion of Normandy. He was increasingly sidelined by Hitler and other Nazi leaders, who blamed him for many of Germany's failures. After the war, Göring was captured by American troops and brought to Nuremberg to stand trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He was accused of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. He defended himself vigorously at the trial and denied any guilt or responsibility for the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. He claimed that he was only following orders and that he had no knowledge of the Holocaust or other mass killings. He also tried to portray himself as a moderate and a peacemaker within the Nazi hierarchy. However, his arguments failed to convince the judges or the public opinion. He was found guilty on all counts and sentenced to death by hanging. Göring appealed to the Allied Control Council for a pardon or a commutation of his sentence to death by firing squad, as he considered hanging to be a dishonorable death for a soldier. His request was denied. On October 15, 1946, hours before his scheduled execution, Göring committed suicide by ingesting a cyanide capsule that he had hidden from his guards. His body was cremated and his ashes were scattered into a small stream near Munich.