Hermann Göring
A decorated World War I fighter pilot who became Hitler's second-in-command and chief architect of the Nazi police state.
1893–1946 (age 53)·German Nazi politician and military leader·Birthday: January 12·The Lost Generation
Biography
Hermann Göring's life traced a dark arc from national hero to convicted war criminal. He first gained fame as a daring ace in the Luftwaffe's predecessor during the First World War. Drawn to Adolf Hitler's fervent nationalism, he became an early and devoted Nazi, using his social connections and organizational ruthlessness to build the party's power. As the Third Reich took shape, Göring amassed a staggering array of titles, overseeing the air force, directing Germany's economic mobilization for war, and founding the Gestapo. His flamboyant personality and appetite for looted art and luxury stood in grotesque contrast to the regime's brutality. Captured by Allied forces, he was the highest-ranking defendant at the Nuremberg trials, where he defiantly justified Nazism before committing suicide hours before his scheduled execution.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Hermann was born in 1893, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Hermann Was Born
The biggest hits of 1893
Hermann's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1893Born
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Started school
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1906Became a teenager
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Could drive
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1911Could vote
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1914Turned 21
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 30
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 40
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 50
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Died at 53
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
Key Achievements
- Was awarded the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military honor, as a fighter ace in World War I.
- Founded the Gestapo secret police and established the first concentration camps.
- Served as Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, the German air force, throughout World War II.
- Was named Hitler's successor in 1939 and presided over the Reichstag as its president.
- Convicted of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials.
Did You Know?
He was a known morphine addict following a painful injury sustained during the Beer Hall Putsch.
He changed into a lavish sky-blue uniform to meet surrendering American generals in 1945.
His personal train, used to transport stolen art, included a special car for his lion cub.
At Nuremberg, he lost over 60 pounds by cutting out sugar and liquor from his diet.
“I herewith commission you to carry out all preparations with regard to… a total solution of the Jewish question in those territories of Europe which are under German influence.”
