Hermann Göring: WW1 Ace, Drug Addiction, and Nazism

Few figures from the Third Reich generate as much curiosity as Hermann Göring. He was both a celebrated World War I flying ace and the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany, a contradiction that still fascinates. This article pulls together verified facts about his combat record, his infamous morphine addiction (reportedly 100 pills a day), his family, and the lingering questions about his intelligence and the fate of Hitler’s wealth.

WW1 kills: 22 confirmed aerial victories ·
POW status: Captured 1945, convicted at Nuremberg ·
Date of death: 15 October 1946 ·
Highest rank: Reichsmarschall ·
Morphine addiction: Began 1923, documented in NIH study

Eight key facts about Göring at a glance:

How intelligent was Hermann Goering?

The question of Göring’s intelligence has been debated for decades. A commonly repeated figure is an IQ of 138, reportedly measured while he was in Allied custody after the war (Wikipedia (biography summary)). However, scholars caution that no reliable test record from the era survives, and the number is not equally emphasized in all biographies. A 2023 medical analysis from PMC (NIH-funded research) notes that the IQ figure is “commonly associated” but lacks primary-source verification.

What was Hermann Goering’s IQ?

According to the popular account, Göring scored 138 on an intelligence test administered by American psychologists. That would place him in the “gifted” range, above the general average but not extraordinary among high-level politicians. The catch: the test conditions were informal, and Göring was known to manipulate his image. Some historians suggest the number may have been inflated or misremembered. Without a verified document, the true number remains uncertain. The implication: treat the 138 figure as anecdotal, not proven.

Is Hermann Goering’s daughter still alive?

Yes, as of 2025, Edda Göring is still alive. She was born in 1938 to Göring and his second wife, Emmy Sonnemann (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Edda was Göring’s only child and remained largely out of the public eye after the war. She has occasionally given interviews and written about her father, always defending his memory.

Who was Edda Göring?

Edda Göring was born on 2 June 1938 in Berlin. Her father was intensely attached to her and used her in public appearances to humanize his image. After the war, she lived with her mother Emmy and later worked as a translator. She never married and has no children. She has stated that she believes her father was a “great man” despite his crimes, a position that has kept her controversial.

What happened to Hermann Goering’s wife Emmy?

Emmy Göring (born Emmy Sonnemann) was an actress. She married Göring in 1935 and remained loyal to him throughout the war. After his suicide, she was imprisoned for a year by the Allies. She was released in 1947 and lived quietly in Munich until her death in 1973. She wrote a memoir titled “An der Seite meines Mannes” (At the Side of My Husband), which presents a sanitized view of their life together.

How many kills did Hermann Goering get in WW1?

Göring achieved 22 confirmed aerial victories as a fighter pilot in World War I (Wikipedia). This made him one of Germany’s top aces, though far below the top scorers like Manfred von Richthofen (80 kills). Göring’s record is well-documented because he served with distinguished fighter squadrons, eventually commanding Jagdgeschwader 1 (the “Flying Circus” after Richthofen’s death).

Was Goering a flying ace?

Yes. His 22 victories qualified him as an ace (five or more kills). He flew Fokker Eindecker and Albatros fighters, and later led the elite unit that had been commanded by the Red Baron. His combat record was a point of pride throughout his Nazi career, and he wore his Pour le Mérite (the “Blue Max”) constantly.

What medal did he receive?

Göring was awarded the Pour le Mérite, Prussia’s highest military order, in 1918. It was typically given to pilots with 20+ victories. He also received the Iron Cross First and Second Class, and later the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross as a Nazi leader, but the Pour le Mérite remained his most cherished decoration.

Who inherited Hitler’s wealth?

When Hitler died in 1945, his personal estate was seized by the Allied powers and later transferred to the state of Bavaria. Hitler’s will named his half-sister’s son as heir, but the state nullified that inheritance. Göring, despite being Hitler’s designated successor until April 1945, did not inherit any of Hitler’s money. The exact amount of Hitler’s net worth remains unclear, but it included royalties from “Mein Kampf” and real estate.

What was Adolf Hitler’s net worth when he died?

Estimates vary widely. Some historians place his wealth in the millions of Reichsmarks, but after postwar accounting, the state of Bavaria gained control over his assets. No reliable public figure exists because his finances were deliberately opaque. What is known: Göring had his own substantial fortune from looted art and industrial interests, but that too was confiscated by the Allies.

Did Göring inherit any of it?

No. Göring was captured and convicted before any inheritance could be claimed. Even if Hitler had left him something in a will, Göring’s own assets were seized upon his arrest. The question likely stems from confusion about Göring’s role as Hitler’s deputy and the general assumption that Nazi leadership shared wealth.

How many pills did Hermann Goering take daily?

The most commonly cited figure is 100 paracodeine pills per day during his captivity in 1945. A 2023 medical analysis in PMC (NIH-indexed) converts that to roughly 194–259 mg of morphine daily—a massive dose that would cause severe dependence in almost anyone. The same analysis argues that this pattern might be better understood as “crude opioid maintenance therapy” rather than simple addiction, since Göring remained intellectually functional.

Was Hermann Goering addicted to morphine?

Yes. His addiction began after a wound sustained during the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Medical treatment for the wound introduced him to opioids, and by the late 1920s his dependence was noted in political circles. Some biographers argue that his enemies exaggerated the extent, but the consensus among historians and medical researchers is that he was a high-functioning addict.

What was his daily dose?

At his peak, especially in the final months of the war, Göring consumed 100–120 paracodeine pills a day. Paracodeine is a codeine-based drug, and the PMC conversion suggests a morphine equivalent of about 200–300 mg daily. For context, a typical modern chronic pain patient uses 30–60 mg morphine daily. Göring’s dose was extremely high and would have produced significant physical dependency.

Timeline

Clarity: What we know and what we don’t

Confirmed facts

• 22 confirmed aerial victories in WW1
• Addicted to morphine after 1923 injury, peaking at ~100 paracodeine pills/day
• Daughter Edda born 1938, still alive as of 2025
• Convicted at Nuremberg for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and conspiracy
• Suicide by cyanide on 15 October 1946

What’s unclear

• Exact IQ score (138 widely reported but unverified)
• Precise amount of Hitler’s personal net worth at death
• Whether Göring inherited any of Hitler’s wealth
• The full accuracy of his daily pill count in the final months

Quotes from the record

“The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger.”

— Hermann Göring, in testimony at the Nuremberg trials

“I have no conscience. My conscience is Adolf Hitler.”

— Hermann Göring, recorded during the Nuremberg trials (US Holocaust Memorial Museum)

These statements capture Göring’s cynical worldview and absolute loyalty to Hitler. Yet they also reveal a man aware of his own manipulation, a trait that made him a formidable and dangerous figure.

Summary

Hermann Göring remains a figure of duality: a decorated WW1 hero who became a principal architect of Nazi war crimes, an intelligent man with a crippling addiction, and a devoted father whose daughter still defends him. For readers trying to untangle myth from fact, the core lesson is clear: the most sensational claims—the 138 IQ, the 100 pills, the secret inheritance—often rest on shaky evidence. The confirmed record is damning enough. For historians and true-crime enthusiasts alike, the real story lies in the careful separation of verified data from the legends that Göring himself helped create.

His role in Nazi Germany’s leadership later became the subject of the historical drama Nuremberg (2025) film, which explores the psychological confrontation between him and U.S. Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley.

Frequently asked questions