Trial and death Hermann Göring

göring flown camp ashcan, temporary prisoner-of-war camp housed in palace hotel @ mondorf-les-bains, luxembourg. here weaned off dihydrocodeine (a mild morphine derivative)—he had been taking equivalent of 3 or 4 grains (260 320 mg) of morphine day—and put on strict diet; lost 60 pounds (27 kg). iq tested while in custody , found 138. top nazi officials transferred in september nuremberg, location of series of military tribunals beginning in november.

göring (first row, far left) @ nuremberg trial

göring second-highest-ranking nazi official tried @ nuremberg, behind reich president (former admiral) karl dönitz. prosecution levelled indictment of 4 charges, including charge of conspiracy; waging war of aggression; war crimes, including plundering , removal germany of works of art , other property; , crimes against humanity, including disappearance of political , other opponents under nacht und nebel (night , fog) decree; torture , ill-treatment of prisoners of war; , murder , enslavement of civilians, including @ time estimated 5,700,000 jews. not permitted present lengthy statement, göring declared himself in sense of indictment not guilty . trial lasted 218 days; prosecution presented case november through march, , göring s defence—the first presented—lasted 8 22 march. sentences read out on 30 september 1946. göring, forced remain silent while seated in dock, communicated opinions proceedings using gestures, shaking head, or laughing. took notes , whispered other defendants, , tried control erratic behaviour of hess, seated beside him. during breaks in proceedings, göring tried dominate other defendants, , placed in solitary confinement when attempted influence testimony. göring told psychiatrist leon goldensohn court stupid try little fellows funk , kaltenbrunner instead of letting göring take blame on himself. claimed had never heard of of other defendants before trial.

captain gustave gilbert, german-speaking intelligence officer , psychologist, interviewed göring , others in prison during trial. gilbert kept journal, later published nuremberg diary. here describes göring on evening of 18 april 1946, trials halted three-day easter recess:

sweating in cell in evening, göring defensive , deflated , not happy on turn trial taking. said had no control on actions or defense of others, , had never been anti-semitic himself, had not believed these atrocities, , several jews had offered testify on behalf.

on several occasions on course of trial, prosecution showed films of concentration camps , other atrocities. present, including göring, found contents of films shocking; said films must have been faked. witnesses, including paul koerner , erhard milch, tried portray göring peaceful moderate. milch stated had been impossible oppose hitler or disobey orders; have meant death oneself , 1 s family. when testifying on own behalf, göring emphasised loyalty hitler, , claimed know nothing had happened in concentration camps, under himmler s control. gave evasive, convoluted answers direct questions , had plausible excuses actions during war. used witness stand venue expound @ great length on own role in reich, attempting present himself peacemaker , diplomat before outbreak of war. during cross-examination, chief prosecutor robert h. jackson read out minutes of meeting had been held shortly after kristallnacht, major pogrom in november 1938. @ meeting, göring had plotted confiscate jewish property in wake of pogrom. later, david maxwell-fyfe proved impossible göring not have known stalag luft iii murders—the shooting of fifty airmen had been recaptured after escaping stalag luft iii—in time have prevented killings. presented clear evidence göring knew extermination of hungarian jews.

göring @ nuremberg trials

göring found guilty on 4 counts , sentenced death hanging. judgment stated:

there nothing said in mitigation. göring often, indeed always, moving force, second leader. leading war aggressor, both political , military leader; director of slave labour programme , creator of oppressive programme against jews , other races, @ home , abroad. of these crimes has frankly admitted. on specific cases there may conflict of testimony, in terms of broad outline, own admissions more sufficiently wide conclusive of guilt. guilt unique in enormity. record discloses no excuses man.

göring made appeal asking shot soldier instead of hanged common criminal, court refused. defying sentence imposed captors, committed suicide potassium cyanide capsule night before hanged.

one theory how göring obtained poison holds army lieutenant jack g. wheelis, stationed @ nuremberg trials, retrieved capsules hiding place among göring s personal effects had been confiscated army , handed them on prisoner, after being bribed göring, gave him gold watch, pen, , cigarette case. in 2005, former army private herbert lee stivers, served in 1st infantry division s 26th infantry regiment—the honour guard nuremberg trials—claimed gave göring medicine hidden inside fountain pen german woman had asked him smuggle prison. stivers later said did not know in pill until after göring s suicide.

göring s body, of men executed, displayed @ execution ground witnesses of executions. bodies cremated @ ostfriedhof, munich, , ashes scattered in isar river.