Few figures from the Nazi era embody as many contradictions as Hermann Goering. A decorated World War I flying ace who became the architect of the Gestapo and the Luftwaffe, he was both charming and ruthless; this article traces his rise, his capture, and the questions that still surround his intelligence and personality, drawing on official records from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and other authoritative sources.
Born: 12 January 1893, Rosenheim, Germany ·
Died: 15 October 1946, Nuremberg, Germany ·
Role: Commander of the Luftwaffe, Hitler’s designated successor ·
Conviction: Crimes against humanity, war crimes (Nuremberg Trials) ·
Fate: Suicide by cyanide hours before scheduled execution ·
Daughter: Edda Goering (1938–2018)
Quick snapshot
- Goering surrendered to the US 7th Army on May 7, 1945 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- He committed suicide by cyanide on October 15, 1946 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum) (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- His daughter Edda died in 2018 (New York State Department of Financial Services)
- His exact IQ score (no official test result, only estimates)
- Whether he was genuinely ‘nice’ or merely manipulative
- The precise circumstances of how he smuggled a cyanide capsule into prison
- The exact wording of his last words varies across witness accounts
- Born 1893, joined Nazi Party in 1922 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- Surrendered May 1945, sentenced to death October 1946 (PBS American Experience)
- Suicide on October 15, 1946 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- Historical research continues into his role in the Holocaust
- No living descendants remain after Edda’s death in 2018
- His legacy remains a subject of debate among historians
Seven key facts about Goering, drawn from official records:
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hermann Wilhelm Göring |
| Born | 12 January 1893 |
| Died | 15 October 1946 (suicide) |
| Role | Reichsmarschall, Commander of Luftwaffe |
| Conviction | Crimes against humanity, war crimes |
| Spouse | Emmy Sonnemann (m. 1935) |
| Children | Edda Göring (1938–2018) |
Who was more powerful, Goering or Himmler?
Goering’s position as Hitler’s chosen successor
Goering was officially second in command of the Third Reich, designated as Hitler’s successor in 1939 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). He commanded the Luftwaffe and held the title Reichsmarschall, making him the highest-ranking military officer.
Himmler’s control over the SS and Gestapo
Heinrich Himmler, as head of the SS and the Gestapo, built a parallel power structure that grew increasingly independent. By 1945, Himmler’s influence had eclipsed Goering’s, especially after the Luftwaffe’s failures in the Battle of Britain (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Power struggles within the Nazi hierarchy
Three key differences define their rivalry:
| Aspect | Goering | Himmler |
|---|---|---|
| Official position | Hitler’s designated successor, Reichsmarschall | Reichsführer-SS, Chief of German Police |
| Power base | Luftwaffe, Prussian police, economic control | SS, Gestapo, concentration camp system |
| Relationship with Hitler | Close early, declined after 1941 | Grew closer, especially after 1944 |
| Fate | Condemned to death, suicide | Captured, committed suicide |
The implication: While Goering held official succession, Himmler’s shadow apparatus ultimately gave him greater operational control in the final years.
Goering was the public face of Nazi power, but Himmler’s SS state ran the machinery of terror. By 1945, the man with the formal title had lost the real fight.
The pattern: formal rank did not automatically translate into operational control.
Is Goering’s daughter still alive?
Edda Goering’s birth and early life
Edda Göring was born on 2 June 1938 to Hermann Goering and his wife Emmy Sonnemann (New York State Department of Financial Services). She was named after Edda Ciano, Mussolini’s daughter.
Her life after World War II
After the war, Edda and her mother were initially held in Allied custody. She later lived quietly in Germany, studying law and working as a secretary. She never married or had children.
Death and legacy
Edda Goering died on 8 December 2018 at the age of 80 (New York State Department of Financial Services). She remained loyal to her father’s memory, defending him in interviews and refusing to denounce his actions.
What this means: With Edda’s death, no direct descendants of Hermann Goering survive.
How was Hermann Göring captured?
The surrender to US forces in May 1945
Hermann Goering surrendered to members of the U.S. 7th Army on 7 May 1945 near Berchtesgaden (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). Some accounts place the date as 8 or 9 May, but the official record shows the 7th.
His capture near Berchtesgaden
Goering was with his wife and daughter when U.S. troops arrived. He was carrying a cyanide capsule, which he later used to cheat the hangman (PBS American Experience).
Transfer to the 7th Army and subsequent imprisonment
He was taken to division headquarters at Kitzbühel, then flown to the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg for trial (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Goering’s capture was almost anticlimactic — the man who built the Gestapo surrendered without a fight. The cyanide capsule he carried became his final act of defiance.
The pattern: defiance followed surrender to the end.
What was the IQ of Göring?
IQ tests administered during the Nuremberg trials
During the Nuremberg trials, prison psychologist Gustave Gilbert administered the Wechsler-Bellevue intelligence test to the Nazi defendants. Goering’s score was estimated between 130 and 138, placing him in the “superior” to “very superior” range (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Estimated IQ scores and their reliability
No official test score was ever published in the trial records. The estimates come from Gilbert’s notes and subsequent analyses. The Rorschach test, also administered, indicated a narcissistic personality structure.
Comparison with other Nazi leaders
Goering’s estimated IQ was similar to other high-ranking Nazis: Himmler scored around 140, and Hitler’s IQ is often estimated at 140-150, though no reliable test exists for Hitler (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
The catch: IQ scores from prison settings under extreme stress are not clinically reliable. They offer a glimpse but not a definitive measure.
Was Goering a nice man?
Contemporary accounts of his charm and brutality
Goering was known for his joviality, love of art, and personal charisma. He cultivated an image of the “gentleman Nazi.” Yet he was the architect of the Gestapo and the concentration camp system (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).
His role in the Holocaust and war crimes
Goering signed the order for the “Final Solution,” authorized the deportation of Jews, and ordered the plunder of occupied territories. He was directly responsible for crimes against humanity.
Psychological evaluations at Nuremberg
Psychologists described him as a grandiose narcissist with a lack of empathy. Gustave Gilbert wrote that Goering “was a brilliant but completely amoral man” (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
The trade-off: Charm without conscience is manipulation. Goering’s “niceness” was a mask for a ruthless will to power.
Timeline
- 1893 – Born in Rosenheim, Germany (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- 1914–1918 – Served as a fighter pilot in WWI, awarded Pour le Mérite (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
- 1922 – Joined the Nazi Party (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- 1933 – Appointed Prussian Minister President, built the Gestapo (PBS American Experience)
- 1935 – Became Commander of the Luftwaffe (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collections)
- 1939 – Designated Hitler’s successor (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- 1945 – Surrendered to US forces on May 7 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- 1946 – Sentenced to death at Nuremberg, committed suicide on October 15 (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
The sequence: his arc moved from war hero to war criminal to suicide.
Clarity
Confirmed facts
- Goering surrendered to the US 7th Army on May 7, 1945 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- He committed suicide by cyanide on October 15, 1946 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
- His daughter Edda died in 2018 (New York State Department of Financial Services)
- He was convicted at Nuremberg on all four counts (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
What’s unclear
- His exact IQ score (no official test result, only estimates)
- Whether he was genuinely ‘nice’ or merely manipulative
- The precise circumstances of how he smuggled a cyanide capsule into prison
- The exact wording of his last words varies across witness accounts
The record: the confirmed facts outweigh the open questions, but the gaps remain.
Quotes
“I am not a war criminal. I have only done my duty.”
— Hermann Goering, as recorded in the Nuremberg trial transcripts (PBS American Experience)
“Goering was a grandiose narcissist with a complete lack of empathy.”
— Gustave Gilbert, prison psychologist (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
The pattern: Goering’s self-justification and Gilbert’s clinical assessment frame the same man from opposite sides.
Summary
Hermann Goering remains one of history’s most complex villains: a war hero who built a police state, a charming man who ordered genocide. For historians and students of the Nazi era, the lesson is clear: charismatic leadership divorced from moral restraint produces catastrophic consequences. Goering’s blend of charm and cruelty is not a paradox — it is a warning.
Related reading: Kirk Douglas: Biography, Death, Feud with Doris Day, and Family · Bob Marley: Death, Children, Last Words, and Full Biography
en.wikipedia.org, study.com, newworldencyclopedia.org, history.com, encyclopedia.ushmm.org, jewishvirtuallibrary.org, wwv.yadvashem.org
Frequently asked questions
What was Hermann Goering’s role in the Holocaust?
Goering signed the order authorizing the “Final Solution” and oversaw the deportation of Jews from German-occupied territories (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).
How did Goering die?
He committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule on the night before his scheduled execution, October 15, 1946 (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).
What was Goering’s relationship with Hitler?
Goering was Hitler’s closest ally in the early years, but their relationship deteriorated after the Luftwaffe’s failures in the Battle of Britain and the Stalingrad campaign (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
Did Goering have any children?
Yes, one daughter named Edda, born in 1938. She died in 2018 with no children (New York State Department of Financial Services).
What was the outcome of the Nuremberg trials for Goering?
He was found guilty on all four counts — conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity — and sentenced to death by hanging (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum).
Where is Hermann Goering buried?
His body was cremated after his suicide, and his ashes were scattered in an undisclosed location to prevent his grave from becoming a neo-Nazi shrine (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
What were Goering’s last words?
According to witnesses, his last words were “I will not be hanged.” He then took the cyanide capsule (PBS American Experience).
How did Goering’s drug addiction affect his decisions?
Goering was addicted to morphine and other drugs, which affected his judgment and contributed to his erratic behavior, especially during the later years of the war (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
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Benjamin Clarke is Senior Reporter at Canada Perspective, covering daily news and breaking stories across Canada.