Hermann Goering's handgun

[The Lone Haranguer]

not surprised myself at his choice of handgun. he was a dedicated hunter and until the late 1980's was thought to have been the last to hunt wild boar with a spear.

??? He committed suicide in 1946 to avoid being hanged as a war criminal.

 

[memphisjim]

not sure but im thinking it has something to do with the internal safety locks on smith and wessons now

 

[silversport]

??? He committed suicide in 1946 to avoid being hanged as a war criminal.

I think the poster meant that no one had hunted boar with a spear until 1980...but I read it the same as you at first...
Bill

 

[ArmedBear]

And...I don't believe there is any documentation that ties Goering to personal killings...Jewish or otherwise. His job was to command the Luftwaffe...not oversee executions.

They wanted to hang someone famous, though... The "Trial of Major War Criminals" at Nuremburg wasn't really a trial for the purpose of ferretting out the nasty Nazis. It was brutal theater, much like when conquering armies 2000 years ago would execute military leaders and display their bodies to humiliate the vanquished, and to scare them into submission.

Also, executing someone as high-ranking as Goering was a symbolic substitute for hanging Hitler, who was already dead and therefore couldn't be executed.

Don't get me wrong: I have no problem with executing people who commit atrocities like those that many did, hiding behind the German uniform and "order". We probably didn't execute enough. That's not the point, though.

 

[silversport]

...not trying to be argumentative but everyone in Hitler's inner circle knew or should have known what was going on and that is why they were punished for it...
Bill

 

[Slamfire]

There must be a thousand "Hermann Goering" handguns out there.

A nephew called, he was at a Gun Show, a Dealer there had an engraved German "Hermann Goering" handgun.

I told nephew to skip it.

We probably didn't execute enough.

No we did not, lots of low level Nazi murderers got away in the Allied sector.

However, I suspect those in Russian occupied areas were terminated with extreme prejudice.

I read of a mass grave found in Russian Occupied Germany filled with post War Russian soldiers. According to the story, these soldiers were shot by the NKVD ( Secret Police) because they would not obey orders to shoot German civilians.

The Soviets did not agonize over violating the civil rights of cowards, traitors or Nazi murderers.

 

[silversport]

...and you see where that's gotten them...I'm just sayin'...
Bill

 

[easyg]

I think the poster meant that no one had hunted boar with a spear until 1980...

A dubious claim at best.

I'll bet there have been plenty of natives on hundreds of islands around the world who routinely hunt boars while using spears.

Maybe they meant he was the only person to hunt boar in Germany while using a spear?

 

[silversport]

yes...that's where I was headed...I don't think that poster thought Hermann Goering was still alive...

Bill

 

[dfariswheel]

And...I don't believe there is any documentation that ties Goering to personal killings...Jewish or otherwise. His job was to command the Luftwaffe...not oversee executions.

There darned well IS plenty of documentation tying Goering directly to war crimes.
Goering, like all the major Nazis was heavily involved in every aspect of the Third Reich from Crystal Night, to the murders of the SA leadership, to the concentration camps, to war crimes on all fronts, and more.

Among other things, Goering was in charge of all the Third Reich police forces and GESTAPO up until Himmler took them over during the war.
Goering signed enough death orders to convict him a hundred timers over in any court.
That's one reason he was so shocked when instead of being treated like an honorable man and potential leader of Germany he was confronted with a mass of that paperwork proving he was a bloody-handed mass murderer.
He never thought the incriminating orders would turn up.

Make no mistake, Goering's hands were only just slightly less bloody than Hitler's or Himmler's.

 

[1911Tuner]

There darned well IS plenty of documentation tying Goering directly to war crimes.

I understand that. I meant that there is no documentation...nor eyewitness accounts...of Goering putting a gun to someone's head and pulling the trigger as was suggested in the post. While issuing an order to commit murder is a de facto war crime...it's not the same as committing the murder up close and personal.

 

[rondog]

Had the .357 or .44 magnums been invented yet? I could see him strutting around with a pimped-out Model 29. Big man, big gun, big power.....yep, he'd do that.

 

[Oro]

Had the .357 or .44 magnums been invented yet?

The .357, yes, in the M&P's larger variation, the N-frame. It was created in 1935 and saw very limited sales prior to WWII. It was not at all a "common" gun or round. The .44 Remington Magnum did not come out until 1954.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

During and before the war, all of those high ranking Nazis were tripping overthemselves to be seen and get close to Hitler. They had custom uniforms made, covered in Nazi armbands, buttons, special daggers, parade battons, etc, etc.

After the war.......Nazis????.......What Nazis????

Dont think that the upper level didnt know, dont think that the Middle management didn't know, dont think that issuing the orders for murder isnt the same as executing the orders (An people). Myself think that most of their society knew, only precious few were in any position to do anything about it, but more could have / should have!

 

[rmfnla]

How strange. I've often wondered about the logistics of non-standard weapons. I mean, how common was .38 spl. in the 3rd Reich?

Probably about as common as .45 Colt & .357 Magnum in the U.S. Army.

Sound familiar? Those were the calibers of George Patton's revovers; hardly standard issue.

I think both were gun guys, and you know how we like our favorites!

 

[Ike Arumba]

While issuing an order to commit murder is a de facto war crime...it's not the same as committing the murder up close and personal.

At least it doesn't require him to carry his own .38 special, which is the topic of this thread.

 

[1911Tuner]

And I responded to this thread because we got a complaint on a post...and one thing led to another.

 

[06]

That 38 was far more accurate than the service shooters they carried. That and the ultra reliability of a wheel gun makes his choice a good one. Not a bad choice today.

 

[twaits]

This PPK was given to his wife on their wedding day. They believe it was possibly a gift from Adolf Hitler. I saw it a couple weeks ago before it got auctioned off. The same auction house (James Julia) also auctioned Goerings gold plated PPK a few years back.

 

[funkychinaman]

You'd think he'd at least have some nice grips for it. Goring was easily the pimpest (pimping-est?) of all Nazi leaders.

 

[1911Tuner]

On a logical/realistic level...Goering was an avid weapon collector. He probably gave up the one that he cherished the least...just like anybody else would do, given the choice of losing one gun in a collection. He also fully expected to be given a pass because he was "just following orders" and was counting on being considered no more than one link in the chain of command. He expected to be allowed to retire to a simpler life to continue hunting and collecting weapons and art. So...on the day of his surrender, he wore the sidearm that he could most easily live without...and one he knew that he could replace without a lot of trouble. He also surrendered to the Allies because he knew what the Russians would do to him.

Anyway...That's my take on it.