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hermann goring Quotes

Hermann Goring Quotes

Birth Date: 1893-01-12 (Thursday, January 12th, 1893)
Date of Death: 1946-10-15 (Tuesday, October 15th, 1946)

 

hermann goring life timeline

Hermann Goring announces Nazi Germany plans to make Madagascar the "Jewish homeland", an idea that actually was first considered by 19th century journalist Theodor Herzl.Saturday, November 12th, 1938
World War II: Hermann Goring is captured by the United States Army.Wednesday, May 9th, 1945
Nuremberg Trials: Hermann Goring poisons himself the night before his execution.Tuesday, October 15th, 1946

Quotes

    • My measures will not be crippled by any bureaucracy. Here I don't have to worry about Justice; my mission is only to destroy and to exterminate; nothing more.
    • Certainly I shall use the police - and most ruthlessly - whenever the German people are hurt; but I refuse the notion that the police are protective troops for Jewish stores. No, the police protect whoever comes into Germany legitimately, but it does not exist for the purpose of protecting Jewish usurers.
    • Shoot first and inquire afterwards, and if you make mistakes, I will protect you.
    • I became commissioner of the Interior in Prussia and at the same time Minister of the Reich. I had taken on a heavy responsibility and a vast field of work lay before me. It was clear that I should be able to make a little use of the administrative system as it then was. I should have to make great changes. To begin with, it seemed to me of the first importance to get the weapon of the criminal and political police firmly into my own hands. Here it was that I made the first sweeping changes of personnel. Out of 32 police chiefs I removed 22. New men were brought in, and in every case these men came from the great reservoir of the Storm Troops. I gave strict orders and demanded that the police should devote all their energies to the ruthless extermination of subversive elements. In one of my first big meetings in Dortmund I declared that for the future there would be only one man who would bear the responsibility in Prussia, and that one man was myself. Every bullet fired from the barrel of a police pistol was my bullet. If you call that murder, then I am the murderer. Finally I alone created, on my own initiative, the State Secret Police Department. This is the instrument which is so much feared by the enemies of the State, and which is chiefly responsible for the fact that in Germany and Prussia today there is no question of a Marxist or Communist danger.
    • Guns will make us powerful; butter will only make us fat.
    • We will go down in history either as the world's greatest statesmen or its worst villains.
    • The Jew must clearly understand one thing at once, he must get out!
    • No enemy bomber can reach the Ruhr. If one reaches the Ruhr, my name is not Goering. You may call me Meyer.
    • The only one who really knows about the Reichstag is I, because I set it on fire!
    • Especially in the Jewish question, we are so involved that there is no escape ... a movement and a people who have burnt their bridges fight with greater determination than those still able to retreat.
    • The people were merely to acknowledge the authority of the Fuehrer, or, let us say, to declare themselves in agreement with the Fuehrer. If they gave the Fuehrer their confidence then it was their concern to exercise the other functions. Thus, not the individual persons were to be selected according to the will of the people, but solely the leadership itself.
    • I especially denounce the terrible mass murders, which I cannot understand ... I never ordered any killing or tortures where I had the power to prevent such actions!
    • The German people trusted the Fuhrer. Given his authoritarian direction of the state, they had no in?uence on events. Ignorant of the crimes of which we know today, the people have fought with loyalty, self-sacrifice, and courage, and they have suffered too in this life-and-death struggle into which they were arbitrarily thrust. The German people are free from blame.
    • I have no conscience, Adolf Hitler is my conscience.
    • Der Sieger wird immer der Richter und der Besiegte stets der Angeklagte sein.
    • The victor will always be the judge, and the vanquished the accused.
    • After the United States gobbled up California and half of Mexico, and we were stripped down to nothing, territorial expansion suddenly becomes a crime. It's been going on for centuries, and it will still go on.
    • Do you think I give that much of a damn about my lousy life? - For myself, I don't give a damn if I get executed, or drown, or crash in a plane, or drink myself to death! - But there is still a matter of honor in this life! - Assassination attempt on Hitler! - Ugh! - Gott im Himmel!! I could have sunk through the floor! And do you think I would have handed Himmler over to the enemy, guilty as he was? Dammit, I would have liquidated the bastard myself!
    • Goring: Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship. Gilbert: There is one difference. In a democracy, the people have some say in the matter through their elected representatives, and in the United States only Congress can declare wars. Goring: Oh, that is all well and good, but, voice or no voice, 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 pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.
    • My Luftwaffe is invincible ... and so now we turn to England. How long will this one last - two, three weeks?'
    • What do I care about danger? I've sent soldiers and airmen to death against the enemy - why should I be afraid?
    • Hitler decided that. I thought it was stupid because I believed that first we had to defeat England.
    • No. It was the last hours and he (Hitler) was under pressure. If I could have seen him personally it would have been different.
    • I know you want to study me psychologically. That's reasonable and I appreciate it. At least you don't lecture to me and pry into my affairs. You have a good technique as a psychiatrist. Let the other fellow talk and stick his neck into the noose. I don't mean that the way it sounds. But you hardly say anything. Someday I'm going to ask you questions.
    • I have always been interested in family history. Chromosomes are funny things, aren't they? They may skip a generation and you can find children who resemble the grandfather, rather than either parent. Heredity is more important than environment. Blood will tell. For example, a man is either musical by heredity or he is not. You can't make a man musical by the environment. You can find a person who is very musically inclined and be puzzled because neither parents nor grandparents had any ear for music. But if you trace it back, you will find that the great-grandfather was a musician. But the environment plays a great part in the development of a man. It is significant whether a man is brought up in the city or in the country, near a lake or on the shores of the ocean.
    • In Berlin Jews controlled almost one hundred percent of the theaters and cinemas before the rise to power.
    • Hitler had the willpower of a demon and he needed it. If he didn't have such a strong willpower he couldn't have achieved anything. Don't forget, if Hitler had not lost the war, if he did not have to fight against the combination of big powers like England, America, and Russia - each one he could have conquered individually - these defendants and these generals would now be saying, 'Heil Hitler,' and would not be so damn critical.
    • To me there are two Hitlers: one who existed until the end of the French war; the other begins with the Russian campaign. In the beginning he was genial and pleasant. He would have extraordinary willpower and unheard-of influence on people. The important thing to remember is that the first Hitler, the man who I knew until the end of the French war, had much charm and goodwill. He was always frank. The second Hitler, who existed from the beginning of the Russian campaign until his suicide, was always suspicious, easily upset, and tense. He was distrustful to an extreme degree.
    • I am a man who is basically opposed to atrocities or ungentlemanly actions. In 1934, I promulgated a law against vivisection. You can see, therefore, that if I disapprove of the experimentation on animals, how could I possibly be in favor of torturing humans? The prosecution says that I had something to do with the freezing experiments which were performed in the concentration camps under the auspices of the air force. That is pure Quatch! I was much too busy to know about these medical experiments, and if anybody had asked me, I would have disapproved violently. It must have been Himmler who thought up these stupid experiments, although I think he shirked his responsibility by committing suicide. I am not too unhappy about it because I would not particularly enjoy sitting on the same bench with him. The same is true of that drunken Robert Ley, who did us a favor by hanging himself before the trial started. He was not going to be any advantage for us defendants when he took the stand.
    • The atrocities are, for me, the most horrible part of the accusation in this trial. They thought that I took it lightly or laughed about it or some such nonsense, in court. That is definitely a mistake. I am the type of person who is naturally agains such things and my own psychological reaction is to laugh or smile in the face of adversity. Perhaps that explains my attitude in court. Besides, I was not to blame for these horrors. It's not just that I am a hard man because of my long experience in the army and in politics. It's true that I saw plenty in the First World War and during the air raids and at the front in this war. But I was always a person who felt the suffering of others. To paint me as an unfeeling ogre who laughs in court at the atrocities is stupid.
    • All Quatch. Nobody knows the real Goring. I am a man of many parts, but the autobiography, what does that tell you? Nothing. And those books put out by the party press, they are less than useless.
    • I think that women are wonderful but I've never met one yet who didn't show more feeling than logic.
    • If I didn't have a sense of humor, how could I stand this trial now?
    • In the first place I'm sure Hitler did not write that damned testament himself. Probably some swine like Bormann wrote it for him. But I don't see what is so terrible in the testament when you examine it, anyway. There was Berlin, bombed every minute. The noise of artillery from the lousy Russians, the American and British bombers overhead. Maybe Hitler was a trifle unbalanced by all that. If he wrote the testament at such a time, it was hysteria. But essentially, what difference does it make?
    • I have to laugh when the English claim they are such a wonderful nation. Everyone knows that Englishmen are really Germans, that the English kings were German, and that in Russia the emperors were either of German origin or received their education in Germany.
    • The Russians are primitive folk. Besides, Bolshevism is something that stifles individualism and which is against my inner nature. Bolshevism is worse than National Socialism - in fact, it can't be compared to it. Bolshevism is against private property, and I am all in favor of private property. Bolshevism is barbaric and crude, and I am fully convinced that that atrocities committed by the Nazis, which incidentally I knew nothing about, were not nearly as great or as cruel as those committed by the Communists. I hate the Communists bitterly because I hate the system. The delusion that all men are equal is ridiculous. I feel that I am superior to most Russians, not only because I am a German but because my cultural and family background are superior. How ironic it is that crude Russian peasants who wear the uniforms of generals now sit in judgment on me. No matter how educated a Russian might be, he is still a barbaric Asiatic. Secondly, the Russian generals and the Russian government planned a war against Germany because we represented a threat to them ideologically. In the German state, I was the chief opponent of Communism. I admit freely and proudly that it was I who created the first concentration camps in order to put Communists in them. Did I ever tell you that funny story about how I sent to Spain a ship containing mainly bricks and stones, under which I put a single layer of ammunition which had been ordered by the Red government in Spain? The purpose of that ship was to supply the waning Red government with munitions. That was a good practical joke and I am proud of it because I wanted with all my heart to see Russian Communism in Spain defeated finally.
    • All cruelty was abhorrent to me. I can name many people whom I have helped, even Communists and Jews. My wife was so kind - I really have to be grateful for that. I often thought, if only the Fuhrer had a sensible wife who would have said to him, 'Here's a case where you can do some good, and here's another, and this one' - that would have been better for everyone. It was very depressing for me.
    • Every bullet which leaves the barrel of a police pistol now is my bullet. If one calls this murder, then I have murdered: I ordered all this. I back it up. I assume the responsibility, and I am not afraid to do so.
    • Germany intends to take back all the territory which has belonged to her in the course of history.
    • God gave the savior to the German people. We have faith, deep and unshakable faith, that he [Hitler] was sent to us by God to save Germany. How shall I give expression, O my Fuhrer, to what is in our hearts? How shall I find words to express your deeds? Has there ever been a mortal as beloved as you, my Fuhrer? Was there ever belief as strong as the belief in your mission. You were sent to us by God for Germany!
    • Hitler was our sovereign. It would be intolerable for me to have him standing before a foreign court. You men knew the Fuhrer. He would be the first one to stand up and say, 'I have given the orders, and I take full responsibility.' But I would rather die ten deaths than have the German sovereign subjected to such humiliation.
    • Himmler has a brain, and its name is Heydrich.
    • I am glad that it is not a life sentence, because those who are sentenced to life imprisonment never become martyrs.
    • I shall crush all resistance remorselessly whether from Left or Right. Whoever conspires against the Third Reich will lose his head.
    • I think with my blood.
    • I envy the Allies nothing more than the financially independent, private, competitive aircraft industry and its ability thereby to develop new models.
    • If there were no Jews, we would have to invent them.
    • In a hundred years Hitler will again be the symbol of Germany!
    • Mass murder? I assure you we never for a moment had such things in mind. I only thought we would eliminate Jews from positions in big business and government, and that was all. But don't forget that the Jews carried on a terrific campaign against us too, all over the world.
    • My wife can influence me in lots of things, but as far as my basic code is concerned nothing can sway me. She could have her way in the household, in getting me to do lots of things for her, but when it comes to these basic things in a man's life, it is not a woman's affair.
    • Next to my own people, I feel closest sympathy with the English. Anyway, one thing is clear - Germany must rise either with the English or the Russians; and the Russians seem to have the upper hand. They are clever, too. Fritzsche tells me they keep asking about me. Maybe I would be better off in their hands.
    • No wonder you can't find any people with real leadership to take the responsibility of administration in Germany. Do you know why? Because the best nationalist leaders are in jail and the rest figure that if they carry out the de-nazification laws now, who knows but that in ten years - after America leaves, or a fight between East and West changes the situation - they will be brought before a German national court and tried for treason. And what do the German people think? I've already told you: 'Whenever things are lousy, we have democracy!' Make no mistake about it, the people know that they were better off when Hitler was in power before the war. And don't forget that Hitler was more than just a person to us.
    • The colonel gaoler ought to bear in mind that he is dealing with historical figures here. Right or wrong, we are historical personalities - and he is nobody.
    • The death sentence - that doesn't mean a thing to me; but my reputation in history means a lot. That is why I am glad Doenitz got landed with signing the surrender. I wouldn't want my name attached to that thing in future history. A country never thinks well of its leaders who accept defeat. As for death - I haven't been afraid of death since I was 12 or 14 years old.
    • The next generation is finding its own leaders and they will fight for the protection of their own national interests. So you can take your morality and your repentance and your democracy, and peddle it elsewhere!
    • The law and the will of the Fuhrer are one.
    • If we've lived only for twelve years, we have lived decorous.
    • The strange part of it all is that I don't feel like a criminal and that if I had been in the United States or South America or any place else, I would probably be a leading figure in one of those countries. I am a capitalist and a cultured gentleman.
    • Those who kow-towed to the prosecution and denounced the Nazi regime got it in the neck just the same. It serves them right.
    • We cannot worry unduly about the hunger of the Greeks. It is a misfortune which will strike many other peoples beside them. In the camps for Russian prisoners they have begun to eat each other. This year between twenty and thirty million people will die of hunger in Russia. Perhaps it is well that it should be so, for certain nations must be decimated. But even if it were not, nothing can be done about it. It is obvious that if humanity is condemned to die of hunger, the last to die will be our two peoples.
    • We don't make a fuss in Germany every time a gangster shoots down innocent people in the streets of Chicago.
    • When I hear the word culture, I reach for my Browning!
    • I will decide who is a Jew!
    • I can't see a thing wrong with Goring's behavior as far as this trial is concerned. They have proven none of the charges. I have mentioned to Goring that the trouble with National Socialism is that it is a house divided, that we Germans tried to live in a community without considering our neighbors, and Goring agreed with me. So even Goring isn't as bad a fellow as the prosecution would have the world believe.
    • And another question was unfortunately not asked of Goring: 'The German people put faith in you even if they doubted Hitler because you were gentlemanly and more likable. What did you, Goring, do to justify this confidence? You have led a luxurious life and collected stolen art.'
    • Now, for example, Goring made an excellent impression. I must say I rather liked him. The fashion was for 'strong men.' Goring had his weaknesses - he was like a child in many respects - but he was a human being.
    • In Goering's tones there is just such a shadow. He is a complex villain if ever there was one. He also kept his bravery to the end and made a showing at Nuremberg which shamed his colleagues. He also kept his stubborn cunning, defeating the hangman.
    • Goering, wreathed in smiles and orders and decorations received us gaily, his wife at his side. There is something un-Christian about Goering, a strong pagan streak, a touch of the arena, though perhaps, like many who are libidinous-minded like myself, he actually does very little. People say that he can be very hard and ruthless, as are all Nazis when occasion demands, but outwardly he seems all vanity and childish love of display.
    • The large and varied role of Goring was half militarist and half gangster. He stuck his pudgy finger in every pie. He used his SA musclemen to help bring the gang into power. In order to entrench that power, he contrived to have the Reichstag burned, established the Gestapo, and created the concentration camps. He was equally adept at massacring opponents and at framing scandals to get rid of stubborn generals. He built up the Luftwaffe [air force] and hurled it at his defenseless neighbors. He was among the foremost in harrying Jews out of the land. By mobilizing the total economic resources of Germany, he made possible the waging of the war which he had taken a large part in planning. He was, next to Hitler, the man who tied the activities of all the defendants together in a common effort.
    • These men saw no evil, spoke none, and none was uttered in their presence. This claim might sound very plausible if made by one defendant. But when we put all their stories together, the impression which emerges of the Third Reich, which was to last a thousand years, is ludicrous. If we combine only the stories of the front bench, this is the ridiculous composite picture of Hitler's Government that emerges. It was composed of: A No. 2 man who knew nothing of the excesses of the Gestapo which he created, and never suspected the Jewish extermination programme although he was the signer of over a score of decrees which instituted the persecution of that race; A No. 3 man who was merely an innocent middleman transmitting Hitler's orders without even reading them, like a postman or delivery boy; A Foreign Minister who knew little of foreign affairs and nothing of foreign policy; A Field-Marshal who issued orders to the armed forces but had no idea of the results they would have in practice ... ... This may seem like a fantastic exaggeration, but this is what you would actually be obliged to conclude if you were to acquit these defendants. They do protest too much. They deny knowing what was common knowledge. They deny knowing plans and programmes that were as public as Mein Kampf and the Party programme. They deny even knowing the contents of documents which they received and acted upon. ... The defendants have been unanimous, when pressed, in shifting the blame on other men, sometimes on one and sometimes on another. But the names they have repeatedly picked are Hitler, Himmler, Heydrich, Goebbels, and Bormann. All of these are dead or missing. No matter how hard we have pressed the defendants on. the stand, they have never pointed the finger at a living man as guilty. It is a temptation to ponder the wondrous workings of a fate which has left only the guilty dead and only the innocent alive. It is almost too remarkable. The chief villain on whom blame is placed - some of the defendants vie with each other in producing appropriate epithets - is Hitler. He is the man at whom nearly every defendant has pointed an accusing finger. I shall not dissent from this consensus, nor do I deny that all these dead and missing men shared the guilt. In crimes so reprehensible that degrees of guilt have lost their significance they may have played the most evil parts. But their guilt cannot exculpate the defendants. Hitler did not carry all responsibility to the grave with him. All the guilt is not wrapped in Himmler's shroud. It was these dead men whom these living chose to be their partners in this great conspiratorial brotherhood, and the crimes that they did together they must pay for one by one.
    • hermann goring

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