Hermann Göring was the commander of the German Luftwaffe, Hitler's closest confidant, a major figure in the rise of the Nazis and one of the main people responsible for preparing German's industry and economy for war. In 1941, he gave the order to "make all necessary preparations for a final solution of the Jewish question in Europe." Here, he is seen speaking at a rally in a photo believed to be dated 1935.
Documents and witness testimonials suggest that Hermann Göring's younger brother Albert saved the lives of dozens of Jews before and during the war. He reportedly retrieved some from concentration camps and helped others escape abroad. He set up bank accounts for them in Switzerland so that they could survive while in exile. He gave money to members of the resistance, and he looked the other way when they committed sabotage or stole weapons.
One of those he saved was Sophie Lehar, the Jewish wife of Franz Lehar, a prominent composer. Albert Göring has now been nominated to receive the highest honorary title conferred by the State of Israel, a title whose recipients, whether it is awarded during their lifetimes or posthumously, are known as the "Righteous Among the Nations."
The applications are handled by the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, pictured here during a visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in January 2006. Since it was created in 1953, the title has been awarded to 24,356 people from 47 countries, including 510 Germans. Yad Vashem officials are still trying to sort fact from fiction as well as to determine whether Albert was half-Jewish, which would disqualify him for the award.
/ DER SPIEGEL
