Hermann Göring Worksheets
Do you want to save dozens of hours in time? Get your evenings and weekends back? Be able to teach about Hermann Göring to your students?
Our worksheet bundle includes a fact file and printable worksheets and student activities. Perfect for both the classroom and homeschooling!
Resource Examples
Click any of the example images below to view a larger version.
Fact File
Student Activities
Table of Contents
Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
Summary
- Early Life and Career
- Personal Life
- Role in Nazi Germany
- Downfall
- Trial and Death
Key Facts And Information
Let’s know more about Hermann Göring!
Hermann Göring was a top Nazi leader and one of Adolf Hitler’s closest supporters. Born in 1893, he played an important role in helping the Nazi Party rise to power. He became the leader of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) and held other powerful positions.
Known for his love of luxury, he lived a rich and comfortable life while being involved in the Nazi regime’s crimes, including the Holocaust. As the war went on, he failed in his military leadership, and by 1945, he was arrested. He was later tried at the Nuremberg Trials and found guilty of war crimes.
Hermann Göring
Early Life and Career
- Hermann Wilhelm Göring was born on 12 January 1893 at the Marienbad Sanatorium in Rosenheim, Bavaria. He was the fourth of five children of Heinrich Ernst Göring, a former cavalry officer, and Franziska Tiefenbrunn, a Bavarian peasant. At the time of his birth, his father was working as consul general in Haiti. Göring spent much of his early childhood apart from his parents. His mother returned briefly to Germany to give birth and left him with a friend for three years before they rejoined him.
- Göring’s godfather, Hermann Epenstein, was a wealthy Jewish doctor and businessman who had met Heinrich in Africa. Epenstein helped the Göring family by giving them a home in Berlin-Friedenau and later a small castle called Veldenstein, near Nuremberg. He also became involved in a long-term affair with Göring’s mother. This connection played a big role in supporting the family.
- At 11, he went to boarding school, where he struggled with poor food and strict rules. He once sold a violin to pay for a train ticket home and pretended to be ill so he wouldn’t have to return. He attended a military academy in Berlin-Lichterfelde, where he did well and graduated with honours.
- In 1912, Göring joined the Prince Wilhelm Regiment (112th Infantry) of the Prussian Army. Soon after, his mother had a falling-out with Epenstein, and the family was forced to leave their home at Veldenstein. His father died shortly after, and the family moved to Munich.
- When the First World War broke out in 1914, Göring was stationed in Mülhausen with his regiment. However, after he became ill with rheumatism from the damp conditions of trench warfare, Göring was convinced by his friend Bruno Loerzer to transfer to the German air force, the Luftstreitkräfte. His request was initially denied, but Göring transferred anyway, flying as Loerzer’s observer in Feldflieger Abteilung 25 (FFA 25).
- When this was discovered, Göring was sentenced to three weeks’ confinement to barracks, but by the time the punishment was due, his role with Loerzer had been officially accepted. He was assigned to the unit in the Crown Prince’s Fifth Army, where they flew reconnaissance and bombing missions. Their work earned them both the Iron Cross, first class.
- After completing pilot training, Göring was assigned to Jagdstaffel 5, a fighter squadron. By May 1917, he was promoted to command Jagdstaffel 27. Göring’s continued success in aerial combat led to several military honours, including the prestigious Pour le Mérite. By the end of the war, he had 22 confirmed air victories.
- In July 1918, following the death of Manfred von Richthofen’s successor, Wilhelm Reinhard, Göring was appointed commander of Jagdgeschwader 1, also known as the Flying Circus. In the final days of the war, he repeatedly ordered his squadron to retreat, eventually refusing orders to surrender his aircraft to the Allies. Many of his pilots intentionally crash-landed their planes to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.
- After the war, Göring became a strong believer in the stab-in-the-back myth, which falsely claimed that the German Army had not truly lost the war but was instead betrayed by civilian leaders. He stayed in aviation after the war, working briefly as a barnstormer and with the Fokker company.
- In 1919, he moved to Denmark and later to Sweden, where he worked for Svensk Lufttrafik, a Swedish airline. During the winter of 1920–1921, he was hired by Count Eric von Rosen, a Swedish noble, to fly him to his castle. It was during this time that Göring first encountered the swastika emblem, which Rosen had placed in his home.
Personal Life of Hermann Göring
- Göring had two wives in his life. His first wife was Carin von Kantzow, a Swedish noblewoman. They married in 1923, and their relationship was full of affection. Sadly, Carin died in 1931 after an illness, which deeply saddened Göring. He kept a photo of her with him for the rest of his life.
- His second wife was Emmy Sonnemann, an actress from Hamburg. They married in 1935, and their wedding was grand, attended by important Nazis, including Hitler, who was the best man. They had one child, a daughter named Edda, born in 1938. While their marriage was full of luxury, it was not as emotionally intense as his first. They remained married, and Emmy became a symbol of Göring’s high position in Nazi Germany.
- Göring loved luxury and lived a very extravagant life. He enjoyed wearing expensive clothes, eating fine food and living in big houses. He also collected art, much of which was stolen during the war from countries under German control.
- He built a large estate called Carinhall, named after his first wife. The mansion was filled with rare artworks and treasures, many of which were taken from Jewish families. Carinhall symbolised his wealth and power.
- Göring was charming and liked being the centre of attention. These traits helped him rise to power in the Nazi Party. However, his arrogance made him unpopular with other Nazi leaders. His relationship with Hitler was based on loyalty, but as the war went on and Germany lost, Göring’s mistakes and failures caused him to lose influence.
Göring with other Nazi officials
Role in Nazi Germany
- Göring joined the Nazi Party in 1922 after hearing one of Hitler’s speeches. Hitler quickly made him head of the SA (Sturmabteilung), the Nazi Party’s paramilitary group, in 1923. Göring led the group until it was banned later that year. He quickly turned the SA into a stronger, more disciplined force. Hitler once said that Göring took a disorderly crowd and built a group of 11,000 men in a short time.
- In November 1923, Göring marched with Hitler during the failed Beer Hall Putsch, an attempt to take over the government in Munich. During the event, Göring was shot in the groin. His wife, Carin, helped him escape to Austria, where he had surgery and was given morphine for the pain. This led to his long-term addiction to the drug. His condition worsened over time, and in 1925 he was placed in a mental hospital in Sweden after attacking a nurse for refusing to give him more morphine. He was treated and later returned to Germany in 1927 after an amnesty.
- During the late 1920s, Göring became more involved in politics. He was elected to the Reichstag (German parliament) in 1928 and continued to win elections. Hitler saw him as someone who could help make the Nazi Party look respectable to the public. Göring also made links with rich and powerful people who supported the Nazis, including Prince August Wilhelm and businessmen like Fritz Thyssen and Hjalmar Schacht.
- As the Great Depression hit Germany, support for the Nazis grew. In the 1932 election, they became the largest party in the Reichstag. Göring became President of the Reichstag and stayed in that role until 1945.
- In February 1933, the Reichstag (parliament) building was set on fire. Göring was one of the first to arrive at the scene. A Dutch Communist named Marinus van der Lubbe was arrested. Göring blamed the Communists and pushed for a crackdown. Thousands of Communists were arrested, and Göring even wanted them shot, but this was refused. Later, some people claimed the Nazis had set the fire themselves. A general named Halder later said that Göring had admitted it at a lunch in 1942, although Göring denied this claim.
- After Hitler became Chancellor in January 1933, Göring was given several important roles. He became Minister of the Interior and head of the police in Prussia, Germany’s biggest state. He created the Gestapo (secret police) in April 1933 but later handed it over to Himmler because he thought its first leader, Rudolf Diels, wasn’t harsh enough.
Hitler with Göring
- The SA, which now had over 2 million members, was becoming a threat to Hitler. In June 1934, Göring helped plan the Night of the Long Knives, a purge in which many SA leaders, including Ernst Röhm, were killed. Göring looked through lists of people to be killed and helped decide who would live and who would die.
- Göring also helped break the Treaty of Versailles. He built up Germany’s air force, the Luftwaffe, in secret and later became head of aviation when it was revealed in 1935. Hitler later made him responsible for preparing the economy for war through the Four Year Plan, starting in 1936.
- Göring took over key parts of the economy, including the Ministry of Economics and the Reichsbank. He also set up a huge state-owned company, the Reichswerke Hermann Göring, to increase steel production.
- In 1938, Göring played a part in the Blomberg–Fritsch Affair, which led to the removal of two top military leaders. He used their downfall to strengthen his own position, although Hitler did not make him War Minister. Still, Göring became one of the highest-ranking officers in the German armed forces.
- Göring was also involved in foreign affairs. He helped push for the takeover of Austria in 1938, partly because Austria had iron ore and skilled workers. He threatened Austrian leaders to step down, and Germany took over without a fight. Later that year, he took part in talks about Czechoslovakia. He threatened Czech leaders and helped Hitler take control of parts of the country, including Bohemia and Moravia.
- During the Second World War, Hermann Göring was in charge of the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force. Early in the war, he helped Germany achieve several victories, including the quick conquest of Poland and France. The Luftwaffe played a key role in these early successes.
- In 1940, Hitler gave him the title of Reichsmarschall, which made him the highest-ranking military officer in Germany, even higher than other generals. This made him one of the most important people in the Nazi government.
- Summary of Göring’s Key Roles in Nazi Germany:
- Head of the SA: Led the Nazi paramilitary group that used violence against political opponents
- President of the Reichstag: Led the German parliament and gained political power
- Minister of Aviation: Built up Germany’s air force in secret, despite the Treaty of Versailles
- Creator of the Gestapo: Set up the Nazi secret police to control the people and crush resistance
- Leader of Prussia: Became the most powerful man in one of Germany’s biggest states
- Head of the Four-Year Plan: Led efforts to get Germany ready for war by controlling production
- Boss of the Reichswerke: Ran a huge company that produced steel and materials for war
- Highest-ranking General: Became Reichsmarschall and helped with military decisions
- Helped Take Austria and Czechoslovakia: Played a key role in the Nazi takeovers of these countries
- Luftwaffe Leader: Led Germany’s air force in the Second World War, although it struggled in some battles
Downfall of Hermann Göring
- In 1940, Germany tried to invade Britain. Göring was in charge of the Luftwaffe and had promised Hitler that they would quickly defeat the British Royal Air Force. However, the Luftwaffe could not beat the British, and this failure hurt Göring’s reputation.
- In 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, the Luftwaffe failed to supply the German army trapped there, which led to a major defeat for Germany. Also, the Luftwaffe struggled against the British and American air forces, and German cities were bombed heavily. This was another blow to Göring’s leadership.
- Göring was also in charge of Germany’s economy and industry. He tried to increase the production of weapons and goods for the war, but his efforts led to mistakes and corruption. His attempts to control the economy caused a lot of problems, and the production of goods was poorly managed, making it harder for Germany to fight the war.
- By 1944, Germany was losing the war. In its last months, Göring tried to take control from Hitler. He even declared that he should be the new leader of Germany. However, Hitler saw this as a betrayal and took away all of Göring’s power. After the fall of Nazi Germany, Göring tried to escape but was captured by American forces on 9 May 1945. He had tried to flee to neutral countries like Sweden, but he was stopped.
Trial and Death
- After his capture, Göring was first held at a temporary prisoner-of-war camp in Luxembourg. During this time, he was treated for his addiction to a drug called dihydrocodeine, which was similar to morphine. While in the camp, he lost 60 pounds due to a strict diet and medical care. His IQ was also tested, and it was found to be 138, which was above average.
- In September 1945, Göring and other top Nazi officials were moved to Nuremberg to face trial for their roles in the war. The Nuremberg Trials started in November 1945, and Göring was the second-highest-ranking official to be tried, after Karl Dönitz, the former President of Germany.
- Göring faced the following charges at the Nuremberg Trials:
- Conspiracy
- Waging a war of aggression
- War crimes, including the plundering and removal of art and other property
- Crimes against humanity, including:
- The torture and murder of civilians
- The Holocaust and the killing of millions of Jewish people
- The forced labour of civilians
- The disappearance of political opponents under the Nacht und Nebel decree
- During the trial, Göring tried to defend himself. When he was asked to plead, he tried to read a long statement but was interrupted by the judge. He then pleaded not guilty to all the charges. The trial lasted for 218 days, and during this time, Göring often used gestures like shaking his head or laughing to communicate. He also tried to control the trial and influence the other people being tried, which led to him being put in solitary confinement for a while.
- Göring’s defence focused on his loyalty to Hitler and his claim that he didn’t know about all the terrible things that were happening, especially in the concentration camps, which were under the control of Heinrich Himmler. However, the prosecution showed evidence that connected him to various war crimes. This included his involvement in taking Jewish property after Kristallnacht and his knowledge about the execution of 50 airmen. There was also evidence that he knew about the mass killing of Hungarian Jewish people.
- Even though Göring tried to minimise his role, he was found guilty on all counts. The court said that he played a major part in the Nazi regime’s aggression and its cruel treatment of Jewish people and other groups. On 1 October 1946, Göring was sentenced to death by hanging.
- He appealed his sentence, asking to be shot like a soldier instead of being hanged like a common criminal, but his request was denied. The night before he was to be executed, on 15 October 1946, Göring took his own life by swallowing a cyanide capsule. It was unclear how he got the poison, as he was under constant guard.
- After his death, Göring’s body, along with the bodies of other Nazi leaders who had been executed, was shown to the public. His body was later cremated in Munich, and his ashes were scattered in the Isar River.
Image Sources
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Hermann_Goering_-_Nuremberg_2_%28cropped%29.jpg
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-02134%2C_Bad_Harzburg%2C_Gr%C3%BCndung_der_Harzburger_Front.jpg/1280px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-02134%2C_Bad_Harzburg%2C_Gr%C3%BCndung_der_Harzburger_Front.jpg
- https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-2004-1202-504%2C_Berlin%2C_Adolf_Hitler_und_Hermann_G%C3%B6ring.jpg
Frequently Asked Questions About Hermann Göring
- Who was Hermann Göring?
Hermann Göring was a leading member of the Nazi Party and one of Adolf Hitler’s closest associates. He held numerous key roles in Nazi Germany, including founder of the Gestapo, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force), and President of the Reichstag.
- What was Hermann Göring’s role in Nazi Germany?
Göring was a central figure in the Nazi regime. He helped consolidate Hitler's power, oversaw the establishment of the Gestapo, led the Luftwaffe during World War II, and played a major role in the economic plunder of occupied territories. He was also designated as Hitler’s successor until he fell out of favour in 1945.
- What was the Luftwaffe, and what was Göring's role in it?
The Luftwaffe was Nazi Germany’s air force. Göring served as its Commander-in-Chief and was responsible for its expansion and operations during World War II. His leadership was initially effective but later criticised for failures during the Battle of Britain and other campaigns.