In June of 1918, the country of Germany cheered for their young pilot Hermann Wilhelm Goering, as he received the Ordre Pour Le Merite, which honoured him for destroying more than eight enemy aircraft in battle. This was only one of the many awards he would receive during his lifetime. No one could’ve possibly guessed the dark path young Goering would choose in his future, in which he would become one of Adolf Hitler’s closest supporters and the creator of the Gestapo, the infamous secret service. Born January 1st in 1893, he was the fourth son of five children, a child of his father’s second wife. He was sent to military school and graduated with honours, joining the German army in 1912. In 1918 he became the commander of the famous legion that boasted of the Red Baron (a.k.a. Manfred Freiherr (baron) von Richthofen), proving his military worth and experience of 6 years so far.
In 1921, Goering met Adolf Hitler, the leader of the National Socialist German Workers’ (Nazi) Party. He joined their party in 1922, and soon became an active member. As he had military experience, Hitler gave Goering control over his Storm
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He bestowed upon Goering the title of ‘Marshal of the Empire’ in 1940. However, Goering lost his titles and position in April of 1945, in the last year of the war. He tried to take his place as Hitler’s successor, after believing that Hitler was politically disabled in Berlin, but the leader of the Third Reich retaliated by quickly placing Goering under house arrest. After Hitler committed suicide on April 30th, 1945, Goering quickly surrendered to the Allied Troops and was tried at Nuremberg, Germany. He was sentenced to a death by hanging, but escaped the indignity by committing suicide. He swallowed a cyanide capsule, dying at age 53, leaving behind a grieving wife and eight-year-old daughter on October 15,