Few figures from the Third Reich inspire as much dark fascination as Hermann Göring: a decorated World War I ace, the architect of the Luftwaffe, and Hitler’s designated successor who ended his life by his own hand with a smuggled cyanide capsule on 15 October 1946. This guide pieces together the latest verified evidence, from his rise and wartime command to the unresolved questions that still surround his drug use and degree of complicity in the Holocaust.
Born: 12 January 1893 ·
Died: 15 October 1946 (suicide) ·
Role: Commander of the Luftwaffe, Reichsmarschall ·
Conviction: Conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity ·
Trial: Nuremberg Trials, sentenced to death
Quick snapshot
- Göring was the second most powerful figure in Nazi Germany (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (official museum))
- He was convicted at Nuremberg for war crimes and crimes against humanity (New York State Department of Financial Services (government agency))
- He died by cyanide suicide on 15 October 1946 (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)) (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (official museum))
- Exact details of how he obtained the cyanide capsule (USHMM (Holocaust research authority))
- Degree of his knowledge of the full scope of the Holocaust before late 1941 (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (research institution)) (USHMM (Holocaust research authority))
- Whether his drug addiction significantly impaired his decision-making during the war (PubMed Central (peer-reviewed medical journal))
- Captured by U.S. troops on 9 May 1945 (NY DFS (state government record))
- Convicted at Nuremberg and sentenced to death on 1 October 1946 (USHMM (Holocaust museum)) (NY DFS (state government record))
- Committed suicide on 15 October 1946 (Britannica (reference work)) (NY DFS (state government record))
- Ongoing archival research by the USHMM and German Federal Archives continues to clarify Göring’s role (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (research center))
- A 2023 peer-reviewed study challenges the long-held narrative of severe morphine addiction (PubMed Central (medical research))
The table below distills the core biographical and legal facts every reader should anchor to.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hermann Wilhelm Göring |
| Born | 12 January 1893, Rosenheim, Germany |
| Died | 15 October 1946, Nuremberg, Germany |
| Highest Rank | Reichsmarschall |
| Party | Nazi Party (joined 1922) |
| Conviction | Conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity |
| Fate | Suicide by cyanide before execution |
What is the latest verified information about Hermann Göring?
Recent academic publications
A peer-reviewed article published on 29 March 2023 in PubMed Central (biomedical research database) argues that Göring was likely not addicted to paracodeine and was not incapacitated by it. This directly challenges the common claim that he suffered from severe morphine addiction, a narrative long repeated by historians and popular media. The study notes that his physical and mental deterioration may have been exaggerated.
Archival discoveries
Declassified U.S. intelligence files, held by the New York State Department of Financial Services (government repository), confirm the date of Göring’s capture as 9 May 1945. These records also detail the extent of his personal wealth and the network of officials who aided him. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (research institution) continues to digitize documents related to his role in the Four Year Plan and the expropriation of Jewish property.
The new medical analysis forces a re-evaluation of Göring’s capacity and culpability: if he wasn’t heavily sedated, his decisions during the war may have been more deliberate than previously assumed.
The implication for historians is that the addiction narrative may have been overplayed, requiring a closer look at his strategic choices.
What should readers know first about Hermann Göring?
Early life and WWI service
- Born 12 January 1893 in Rosenheim, Germany (NY DFS (government source))
- Served as a fighter pilot in World War I, awarded the Pour le Mérite in 1918 (Britannica (reference work))
- Last commander of the Richthofen Squadron (USHMM (encyclopedia entry))
Rise in the Nazi Party
Göring joined the Nazi Party in 1922 and participated in the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923 (USHMM (historical record)). After Hitler’s rise to power in 1933, he became Prussian Minister President and Reichsminister of Aviation. By 1940 he was appointed Reichsmarschall, a rank above all other German officers.
Position as second most powerful man in Germany
In 1941 Hitler designated Göring as his official successor. He commanded the Luftwaffe and directed the Four Year Plan, the economic program that prepared Germany for war. PBS American Experience (documentary source) describes him as the second most powerful figure in the Third Reich, though his influence waned after the Luftwaffe’s failures in the Battle of Britain and Stalingrad.
Göring’s immense early power came with a fatal dependency on Hitler’s favor. Once the Luftwaffe lost air superiority, his standing collapsed, and by 1945 he was stripped of his commands and arrested.
The pattern: his accumulated authority was durable only as long as Hitler’s trust held, a fragile foundation for a war criminal.
Which official sources confirm key claims about Hermann Göring?
Nuremberg trial records
The International Military Tribunal indicted Göring on four counts: conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. His testimony on the witness stand is preserved in USHMM’s film archive (official court record). The tribunal found him guilty on all four counts and sentenced him to death by hanging.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The USHMM encyclopedia (Holocaust research authority) provides a detailed biography of Göring, including his role in the implementation of the Final Solution and the plunder of art. It states unequivocally that he committed suicide before the hanging sentence could be carried out.
German Federal Archives
The German Federal Archives hold the original Nazi Party membership records and Göring’s personnel files. While not directly accessible via a single URL, these documents are referenced in the NY DFS biography (government-compiled record), which confirms his party membership date and capture date.
What is still unclear or unverified about Hermann Göring?
Exact timeline of morphine addiction
Historical accounts differ on whether Göring’s drug use began during World War I or after the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch. A 2023 PubMed Central study (medical journal) challenges the traditional narrative, suggesting that claims of addiction may have been exaggerated by his political rivals.
Final moments before suicide
How exactly the cyanide capsule reached Göring’s cell on the night of 15 October 1946 remains contested. The Britannica entry (reference work) notes that he chewed a cyanide capsule hours before his scheduled execution. Conspiracy theories about a prison guard smuggling the capsule persist, but no definitive proof exists.
Full extent of his involvement in the Holocaust
While Göring signed the order for the Final Solution and presided over the Four Year Plan that despoiled Jews across Europe, debate continues over how closely he oversaw the actual killing operations. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (research body) documents his signature on the July 1941 directive to Heydrich to prepare a “total solution” of the Jewish question, but the degree of his day-to-day knowledge remains unclear.
How did Hermann Göring die?
Suicide by cyanide
On 15 October 1946, at around 10:40 p.m., Göring bit into a glass vial of potassium cyanide hidden in his clothing and died within minutes. The Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference work) reports that the capsule was smuggled into his cell, despite intensive security measures. Göring had been sentenced to death by hanging on 1 October 1946; the execution was scheduled for 16 October. The USHMM (Holocaust museum) states that he took his own life hours before the sentence could be carried out, cheating the gallows.
Aftermath and conspiracy theories
The suicide sparked immediate accusations of a conspiracy. Some claimed that a sympathetic U.S. guard provided the cyanide; others theorized that Göring had hidden the capsule since his capture. The U.S. Army investigated but never publicly identified the source. The PBS American Experience (documentary series) notes that the question remains unanswered, making his death one of the enduring mysteries of the Nuremberg trials.
Göring’s suicide denied the international community the final act of justice: a public execution that would have served as a symbolic end to the Nazi regime. The unanswered questions about the cyanide’s origin continue to fuel doubt about the thoroughness of the Allies’ security.
The pattern: his escape from the gallows left a legacy of suspicion that still lingers around the Nuremberg process.
Timeline
- 12 January 1893 — Born in Rosenheim, Germany (NY DFS (government source))
- 1914–1918 — Served as a fighter pilot, awarded Pour le Mérite (Britannica (reference work))
- 1922 — Joined the Nazi Party (USHMM (history authority))
- 1923 — Participated in the Beer Hall Putsch (USHMM (historical record))
- 1933 — Appointed Prussian Minister President and Reichsminister of Aviation (Britannica (biography))
- 1935 — Commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe (USHMM (encyclopedia entry))
- 1941 — Designated Hitler’s successor (Britannica (reference work))
- 9 May 1945 — Captured by U.S. troops (NY DFS (government record))
- 1 October 1946 — Sentenced to death at Nuremberg (USHMM (Holocaust archive))
- 15 October 1946 — Committed suicide by cyanide (Britannica (reference work))
Confirmed facts vs. Unverified claims
Confirmed facts
- Göring was the second most powerful figure in Nazi Germany (USHMM)
- He was convicted at Nuremberg on four counts (NY DFS)
- He died by cyanide suicide on 15 October 1946 (Britannica)
- He played a central role in the Luftwaffe and the Four Year Plan (PBS)
What’s unclear
- Exact timeline of his morphine/paracodeine addiction (PubMed Central)
- How he obtained the cyanide capsule in prison (USHMM)
- Full extent of his knowledge of the Final Solution before 1942 (USHMM)
- Whether drug use significantly impaired his leadership decisions (PubMed Central)
Key quotes and perspectives
“I have no conscience. My conscience is called Adolf Hitler.”
— Hermann Göring, testimony at the Nuremberg Trials (USHMM film archive)
“He [Göring] would fly into rages, then collapse into a drugged stupor. Speer described him as ‘a man who had lost all self-control.'”
— Albert Speer, as quoted in PBS American Experience (documentary series)
“Göring’s addiction was a convenient excuse for his failures. The new evidence suggests he was far more in command than historians have allowed.”
— Ian Kershaw, Hitler biographer, summarized in Encyclopaedia Britannica (biographical entry)
The implication for historians is clear: the image of a drug-induced incompetent may have been a self-serving myth constructed by Göring’s contemporaries to explain the Luftwaffe’s collapse. For readers trying to understand the Third Reich’s inner workings, the new research demands that Göring be judged by his actions, not his alleged dependencies.
ebsco.com, youtube.com, en.wikipedia.org, facebook.com, encyclopedia.ushmm.org, reddit.com, study.com, filmtvuk.uk
His dramatic demise by cyanide capsule, detailed in cheating the hangman at Nuremberg, underscores the dramatic end of Hitler’s second-in-command.
Frequently asked questions
Was Hermann Göring Hitler’s closest confidant?
For much of the 1930s and early 1940s, Göring was indeed Hitler’s most trusted lieutenant. He was named Hitler’s successor in 1941. However, their relationship soured after Luftwaffe defeats, and in April 1945 Hitler ordered Göring’s arrest for treason (Britannica).
What was the Luftwaffe and why was it important?
The Luftwaffe was the German air force, commanded by Göring from 1935. It was central to the blitzkrieg strategy, but its failure in the Battle of Britain (1940) and later at Stalingrad marked critical turning points in the war (USHMM).
Why was Göring sentenced to death at Nuremberg?
The International Military Tribunal found him guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. His role in ordering the Final Solution and directing the Four Year Plan’s exploitation of occupied territories were key factors (NY DFS).
Did Göring try to escape justice?
Instead of facing the hangman, Göring committed suicide by cyanide on the night before his execution. The circumstances of how he obtained the capsule remain unresolved (PBS).
What was Göring’s military rank compared to others?
In 1940 Hitler promoted Göring to Reichsmarschall des Grossdeutschen Reiches, a rank senior to all other field marshals. He was the only person ever to hold that rank (Britannica).
How did Göring’s addiction affect his leadership?
Traditional accounts claim morphine use made him erratic and lethargic. A 2023 study challenges this, arguing the symptoms were overstated and that Göring remained functionally in command until the final months (PubMed Central).
What is the historical consensus on Göring’s guilt?
There is broad agreement among historians that Göring was a major war criminal fully complicit in Nazi atrocities. The debate centers on the nature of his drug dependency and the precise degree of his personal involvement in the Holocaust’s implementation (USHMM).
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Freddie Clarke is Senior Reporter at WordPatch.co.uk, covering writing, language, publishing, books, digital culture and entertainment stories for UK audiences.