Childhood/Education/Early Jobs

~ Born on January 12, 1893 in Rosenheim, Bavaria

~ His father, Heinrich Ernst Goering, was a former cavalry officer and the first Governer-General of the German proctectorate of South-West Africa

~ Sent to a boarding school at 11 but sold a violin for a train ticket home and pretended he was sick until he was told he wouldn't have to return

~ Was an avid mountain climber and enjoyed playing war games

~ At 16, he was sent to a military academy at Berlin Lichterfelde. He graduated with distinction

~ Estimated to have an intelligence quotient of 138, which means he was of superior intelligence (less than 2.1% of test-takers)

~ Joined the Prince Wilhelm Regiment of the Prussian army in 1912

~ Participated in WWI as an ace fighter pilot

~ Was commander of the famed "Flying Circus," Jagdgeschwader 1