Hermann Göring, the second-ranking figure in Nazi Germany, played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Gestapo (later handed over to Heinrich Himmler) and commanded the Luftwaffe from 1935 until the war's conclusion. In 1941, Hitler appointed him as his successor in all his positions.
In 1945, as Hitler announced his plan to commit suicide, Göring sent a telegram inquiring about inheriting control of the Reichstag. Hitler interpreted this question as an act of treason, leading to Göring's dismissal from all his positions, expulsion from the party, and issuance of an arrest order.
Following the war, Göring was among the 22 individuals accused of war crimes at the Nuremberg Trials. He was sentenced to death by hanging. However, Göring evaded execution by committing suicide with cyanide mere hours before the scheduled hanging. Consequently, the photograph taken after his death sentence remains the only one in which he is not depicted with a noose around his neck.
Images:
Göring during the trial and arrest