In the final days of Hermann Göring’s life, the once-powerful National Socialist leader faced the twilight of his years at the Nuremberg Tribunal. Subjected to brutal interrogations, he was forced to unravel his role in Hitler’s regime.
According to the prisoners’ psychiatrist, Dr. Douglas Kelly, Göring was considered the most physically fit man in Germany. He was docile and accepted his misfortune with dignity, focusing on preserving the prestige of his authority and securing a place in the history of his country.
Göring never considered himself a criminal. Full of pride, he declared, “Yes, I will be hanged. I am prepared, but I am determined to go down in German history as a great man.”
He added, “If I cannot convince the tribunal in the end, I will convince the German people that everything I did was for the great German Reich. In 50 or 60 years, there will be statues of Hermann Göring all over Germany.”
The questioning of Göring by the defense took place between the 13th and 18th of March 1946. He was called to testify and swore an oath to tell the truth.
Göring was born on January 12, 1893, in Rosenheim, Bavaria. He described his early education as ordinary, first with a home teacher, then a cadet corps, and finally officer service.
His father was the first governor of Southwest Africa. Göring noted that his father had connections with Cecil Rhodes and the Elder Chamberlain. He also mentioned his father’s attachment to Bismarck.
When the First World War broke out, Göring served as a lieutenant in an infantry regiment. He became a pilot in June 1915, first flying reconnaissance aircraft, then bombers, and eventually becoming a fighter pilot.
After being severely wounded in an air battle, he recovered and became commander of a fighter squadron. Following the death of Manfred von Richthofen, Göring took command of the famous Richthofen Squadron.
His awards included the Iron Cross second class, the Iron Cross first class, the Zähringer Lion with swords, the Order of Karl Friedrich with swords, and the Pour le Mérite, which he described as the highest honor.
Göring first met Hitler in October or November 1922. He had attended a protest meeting in Munich as a spectator. Hitler refused to speak at that event, saying that empty protests were pointless.
Göring was deeply impressed by Hitler’s reasoning. He went to hear Hitler speak the following Monday and found that Hitler’s convictions coincided word for word with his own.
A few days later, Göring went to the headquarters of the NSDAP. He knew nothing about the party’s program at the time, only that it was a small party.
Göring told Hitler he was at his complete disposal. The main topic of their conversation was the fight against the Treaty of Versailles.
Hitler explained to Göring the concept of National Socialism, an amalgamation of nationalism and socialism. He argued that it was impossible to restore a strong national will without attracting the masses of German workers.
Hitler asked Göring to support his point of view within the party. He wanted Göring to lead the SA, which had been created to counter physical violence at meetings with force.
Göring initially said it would not suit him to assume a leadership position immediately. They decided he would remain in the shadows for a month or two before taking command.
Göring officially joined the party in late October or early November 1922. His tasks included making the SA a stable, disciplined, and reliable unit.
He described the SA members as brave men who faced many enemies. They were often badly wounded, and some were shot dead during clashes.
Göring discussed the events of November 9, 1923, the Beer Hall Putsch. He said he was prepared to take part in any revolution against the so-called November Republic.
After the putsch failed, Göring spent time in an Austrian hospital. He later went to Italy and another country before returning to Germany in 1927.
He met Hitler again in 1927 at a short meeting in Berlin. Shortly before the Reichstag elections in May 1928, Hitler called Göring and asked him to be the first name on the party’s candidate list.
Göring was elected to the Reichstag and began traveling around the country as a party representative. He held no formal position in the party from 1928 until the seizure of power.
In the middle of 1932, Göring was elected president of the Reichstag. At the end of 1931, Hitler asked him to serve as a personal representative independent of the party.
Göring described his role in Hitler’s appointment as Reich Chancellor. He explained that the balance between parliamentary parties had been broken and that Germany was in a difficult situation.
He recalled telling Franz von Papen that Hitler could be any number but not number two. Göring said it would be unacceptable for the Führer to play a secondary role.
Göring stated that the party came to power legally. He said the party was called by the Reich President in accordance with the constitution.
After coming to power, Göring held several positions. He was president of the Reichstag, Minister and Reich Commissioner of Aviation, and later Prime Minister of Prussia.
He was asked about the creation of the Gestapo and the concentration camps. Göring said he established a secret state police in Prussia to protect the state against its enemies.
He described the threat of communism as extremely strong. He said the Communist party had about six million voters and a Red Front organization that could be used as an instrument of revolution.
Göring ordered the arrest of Communist officials and leaders. He said preventive detention was necessary to eliminate the danger they posed.
He admitted that there were excesses at the beginning. He said, “Of course there were beatings, acts of brutality, but compared with all that had happened in the past, the German Revolution was bloodless.”
Göring said he gave orders that such things should not happen. He claimed he wanted to re-educate the prisoners and get them on the side of the state.
At Christmas 1933, he ordered the release of about 5,000 prisoners in minor cases. He repeated this in November 1934 for another 2,000 prisoners.
Göring said he was in charge of the Gestapo until the beginning of 1934. He later handed the police over to Heinrich Himmler.
He was asked about the SA and its leaders. Göring said he was never a Reichsführer of the SA. He was commander of the SA in Bavaria until November 1923.
He described the honorary leaders of the SA as having purely representative functions. He said they were not informed of the internal activities of the SA.
Göring was asked about the SS. He said he never belonged to the SS in any way. He called the statement that he was an SS general completely wrong.
When asked about the term “master race,” Göring said he had never used it in any of his speeches or writings. He said, “If one is a gentleman, one need not pay attention to it.”
He was questioned about the Führer principle. Göring said he supported it and evaluated it favorably. He argued that Germany, during centuries of monarchy, had the Führer principle.
Göring was asked about the confiscation of assets of political opponents. He said laws were passed to confiscate the property of persons hostile to the state.
He discussed the actions against trade unions. He said the unions were dissolved and the German Labor Front was organized for the workers.
Göring claimed that the workers were given real freedom through the right to work. He said the party did away with strikes and lockouts.
He was questioned about the murder of millions of people in concentration camps. Göring said he knew nothing about what happened in the camps later on when he was not in charge.
When confronted with evidence that four million people were exterminated in Auschwitz alone, Göring said he saw no way of confirming the figure.
He maintained that such things were kept secret from him. He added that in his opinion, not even Hitler knew the extent of what was going on.
Göring was asked about the forced labor of foreign workers. He admitted that large numbers of workers were forced to work in the Reich.
He was questioned about his loyalty to Hitler. Göring said he was not justifying or praising Hitler, but emphasizing his loyalty because an oath must be kept in difficult times.
He was asked about the murder of 50 young officers in Stalag Luft III. Göring said he never opposed Hitler so clearly and forcefully as on that question.
The prosecution pressed him on his knowledge of the extermination of Jews. Göring said he did not know about the murders and did not order them to be carried out.
He was asked whether it was his duty to know these facts. Göring replied, “Either I know the facts or I don’t.”
The interrogation turned to the war against the Soviet Union. Göring admitted that plans for an attack were drawn up as early as November 1940.
He said the plans were made in response to Hitler’s conviction that Soviet Russia was taking a dangerous attitude.
Göring denied that the goals of the war included seizing Soviet territories up to the Urals. He said he did not recognize such aims in any way.
He was shown a document from a meeting on July 16, 1941, at which Hitler defined the aims of the war. Göring admitted he was present at that meeting but doubted the accuracy of the record.
He was asked about orders to destroy Leningrad and Moscow. Göring said he knew nothing about the destruction of Moscow.
The prosecution asked about the theory of the superior race. Göring said he had never intended to place one race as superior to another.
He was asked how he could cooperate with Hitler despite their differences. Göring said he could state his opinion, but if the commander-in insisted, the discussion was over.
He said he had to set an example for the private soldiers in fulfilling the oath.
The French prosecutor concluded that the arguments put forward by the defense had not succeeded in disproving the evidence.
The British prosecution raised the issue of the Hermann Göring Division in Italy. Göring said the division was under his command only in terms of personnel, officers, and equipment, not in terms of participation in combat.
He said he first learned of the events at Civitella from an affidavit by an army general who was trying to transfer responsibility to him.
Göring was asked to summarize his attitude toward Hitler. He said he was conscious of his responsibility for the preparations for the seizure of power.
He said he did everything possible to prevent war, but once it began, it was his duty to do everything possible for victory.
The tribunal reminded Göring that he had spoken about this more than once and would not hear it again.
With that, the interrogation of Hermann Göring came to an end.