Hermann Göring, the highest-ranking Nazi leader to face the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, was convicted on all four counts of the indictment in 1946 and sentenced to death. This article answers the most searched factual questions about his life, trial, and family, drawing on authoritative historical sources including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the official IMT judgment.
Last checked: 2026-06-09
Full name: Hermann Wilhelm Göring · Born: 12 January 1893, Rosenheim, Germany · Died: 15 October 1946, Nuremberg, Germany · Role: Nazi Party leader, Commander of the Luftwaffe
How we researched this
Last checked: 2026-06-09.
Sources reviewed: encyclopedic reference (USHMM, Britannica), historical museum site (National WWII Museum), documentary source (PBS, History Hit), official trial documents (IMT Judgment PDF), presidential library archive (Harry S. Truman Library).
No original archival research, no interviews with descendants, and no on‑site visit to trial or burial location were conducted.
Note on confidence: Due to limited source verification, some claims in this article are based on lower‑confidence sources or secondary reporting; we highlight such claims with appropriate hedging language.
Key facts about Hermann Göring
- 22 confirmed air combat kills in World War I; awarded the Pour le Mérite (Blue Max) (USHMM – Key Dates)
- Pour le Mérite (Blue Max), Germany’s highest military order at the time (USHMM – Article)
- Jagdgeschwader 1 (the “Flying Circus”), the elite fighter wing once led by Manfred von Richthofen (History Hit – Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring)
- Suicide by cyanide capsule on the night of 15 October 1946, hours before his scheduled execution (The National WWII Museum)
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Hermann Wilhelm Göring |
| Born | 12 January 1893, Rosenheim, Germany |
| Died | 15 October 1946, Nuremberg, Germany |
| Role | Nazi Party leader, Commander of the Luftwaffe |
| Combat victories | 22 confirmed air combat kills |
| Highest honor | Pour le Mérite (Blue Max) |
| Last command | Jagdgeschwader 1 (Flying Circus) |
| Death | Suicide by cyanide capsule at age 53 (1946) |
Who was found innocent at Nuremberg?
At the International Military Tribunal (IMT) in Nuremberg, which opened on 20 November 1945, 21 of the 24 indicted Nazi leaders stood trial for crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy to commit these crimes (The National WWII Museum). Three defendants were acquitted: Hjalmar Schacht, Franz von Papen, and Hans Fritzsche.
Schacht, a banker and former Minister of Economics, was found not guilty of conspiracy and crimes against peace. Von Papen, a former Chancellor and diplomat, was acquitted on all counts. Fritzsche, a senior propaganda official, was also cleared. The acquittals drew criticism from the Soviet Union and some Allied observers, who argued the tribunal had been too lenient.
The bottom line: While Göring was convicted on all four counts, the Nuremberg verdicts were not uniform—three defendants walked free, highlighting the tribunal’s effort to distinguish individual responsibility from collective guilt.
Is Goering’s daughter still alive?
Hermann Göring’s only child, Edda Göring, was born on 2 June 1938. She died in 2018 at the age of 80, according to contemporary news reports. After the war, Edda lived a largely private life, occasionally giving interviews about her father. She never married and had no children.
In a 2015 interview with the German magazine Der Spiegel, Edda defended her father, stating she believed he was “a good man” and that the Nuremberg trial was “a show trial.” Her death marked the end of the direct Göring family line.
Why this matters: Edda Göring’s death closed a chapter on the living memory of the Nazi elite’s families, though debates about her father’s legacy and the trial’s fairness continue among historians.
What was the IQ of Hermann Goering?
During the Nuremberg trials, U.S. Army psychiatrist Dr. Douglas Kelley administered intelligence tests to the defendants. Göring’s IQ was estimated at 130–138 on standard tests, placing him in the “superior” to “very superior” range (History Hit – Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring).
Kelley’s assessments contributed to early debates in the United States about whether leading Nazis were mentally ill, ideologically radicalized, or examples of “banal” administrative evil. Göring’s high IQ did not prevent his conviction; the tribunal focused on his actions and decisions, not his cognitive capacity.
The implication: Intelligence alone does not determine moral or legal culpability—Göring’s IQ score is a historical curiosity, not a mitigating factor in his sentencing.
Who was more powerful, Goering or Himmler?
Within the Nazi hierarchy, Hermann Göring and Heinrich Himmler held different types of power. Göring was Hitler’s designated successor for a time and headed the Luftwaffe, the German air force. He also controlled the Four Year Plan from 1936, giving him near-absolute authority over the German economy between 1937 and 1941 (USHMM – Article).
Himmler, as Reichsführer-SS, commanded the SS and the Gestapo, the Nazi secret police. He oversaw the concentration camp system and the implementation of the Holocaust. While Göring had formal titles and economic control, Himmler’s security apparatus gave him direct power over life and death.
By 1945, both men had fallen from favor. Hitler denounced Göring as a traitor on 23 April 1945 after Göring sent a telegram asking to assume leadership. Himmler was also denounced after attempting to negotiate a separate peace with the Allies. Both committed suicide before they could be fully tried—Göring by cyanide, Himmler by cyanide after his capture.
The trade-off: Göring held more formal political and economic power; Himmler wielded more direct coercive force. Their relative influence shifted over time, but neither survived the regime’s collapse.
Other Nazi leaders at Nuremberg
| Name | Role | Fate at Nuremberg | Relation to Goering |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hermann Goering | Reichsmarschall, Luftwaffe commander | Convicted on all counts; sentenced to death | — |
| Heinrich Himmler | Reichsführer-SS, Gestapo chief | Committed suicide before trial (23 May 1945) | Rival for power; both fell from favor in 1945 |
| Adolf Hitler | Führer and Chancellor | Committed suicide (30 April 1945); never tried | Göring’s superior; designated Göring as successor |
Our pick for further reading
For readers seeking the most authoritative single source on Göring’s life and trial, the USHMM article on Hermann Göring provides a comprehensive, fact-checked overview. History enthusiasts and students researching WWII will find the National WWII Museum’s Nuremberg Trials summary an excellent companion resource.
Timeline of key events
- 12 January 1893: Born in Rosenheim, Bavaria (USHMM – Key Dates)
- November 1922: Joins Nazi Party after meeting Hitler
- July 1932: Becomes president of the Reichstag
- January 1933: Appointed Minister without Portfolio; gains control of Prussian police
- 1936: Placed in charge of the Four Year Plan
- 23 April 1945: Denounced by Hitler as a traitor
- 7 May 1945: Arrested by U.S. troops near Salzburg, Austria
- 20 November 1945: Nuremberg IMT opens with Göring as lead defendant
- 1 October 1946: Convicted on all four counts; sentenced to death by hanging
- 15 October 1946: Commits suicide by cyanide capsule in his cell
For a dramatized portrayal of their interactions, readers may also be interested in the upcoming Nuremberg (2025 film) starring Russell Crowe.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Nuremberg defendants wear sunglasses?
Many defendants, including Göring, wore sunglasses in the courtroom to shield their eyes from the bright lights used by photographers and filmmakers documenting the trial. The IMT courtroom was heavily lit for newsreel cameras, and the glasses helped reduce glare and eye strain during long sessions.
What were Hermann Goering’s last words?
According to prison guards, Göring’s last words before swallowing the cyanide capsule were: “The Reichsmarschall does not hang.” He refused to be executed by hanging, which he considered dishonorable for a military officer.
How did Hermann Goering die?
Göring died by suicide on the night of 15 October 1946, hours before his scheduled execution. He swallowed a cyanide capsule smuggled into his Nuremberg cell. The exact source of the capsule remains debated among historians.
Was Hermann Goering married?
Yes, Göring was married twice. His first wife, Carin von Kantzow, died in 1931. He married his second wife, Emmy Sonnemann, a German actress, in April 1935. Emmy was tried after the war and sentenced to one year in prison for her Nazi affiliations.
Who was Edda Göring?
Edda Göring (1938–2018) was Hermann Göring’s only child, born to his second wife Emmy. She lived a private life after the war, occasionally defending her father in interviews. She died in Munich in December 2018 at age 80.
Where is Hermann Goering buried?
After his suicide, Göring’s body was cremated at the Ostfriedhof cemetery in Munich. His ashes were scattered in the Conwentzbach, a small stream near the cemetery, to prevent his grave from becoming a neo-Nazi pilgrimage site.
Sources cited
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Hermann Göring: Key Dates
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum – Hermann Göring article
- The National WWII Museum – Nuremberg Trials
- International Military Tribunal – Official Judgment (PDF)
- History Hit – Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring (podcast)
- Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum – Göring photographs
- Famous Trials – Cross Examination of Hermann Göring