One of Hitler’s most notorious henchmen, Hermann Göring was the bulldog who obediently followed orders while destroying countless lives. In his early career as the leader of the SA, also known as the Brownshirts or Stormtroopers, Göring played a pivotal role in suppressing any and all opposition to the Nazi Party. He was also implicated in the Reichstag Fire of 1933, an event that resulted in the suspension of civil liberties in Germany and greatly aided in the consolidation of Nazi control. After the outbreak of World War II, he became Hitler’s second in command and held several influential government positions, including chief of the Luftwaffe (the German Air Force).
Despite all he had done, Hermann Göring was never a man to take much responsibility. After the war, he sat blithely through the Nuremberg Trials, claiming he had no choice but to carry out his deeds as directed. For Göring, there was always someone or something else to blame. Even after he was found guilty of war crimes, he refused to submit to the punishment that he was given, preferring instead to end his own life.
Göring’s mother once said that “Hermann will either be a great man or a great criminal.” She was right—Hermann Göring did indeed become one of history’s most infamous figures. Here is a telling of his dark and twisted saga in full.
