Nuremberg, the latest film about the Nazi war crime trials after World War 11, stars Russell Crowe as Hermann Göring, once Hitler’s chosen successor. He embodied the spirit of the Third Reich and became the most senior surviving Nazi official to stand trial. His intelligence, arrogance and courtroom performances made him the defining symbol of the proceedings.
Described as ‘an ambitious opportunist, whose charm and vanity’ carried him to the heart of new Reich, he was ‘gregarious and theatrical, but also impulsive, vain and manipulative.’ In WW1 he was a celebrated fighter ace in the air force, who became disillusioned with Germany’s defeat and joined the Nazi Party in 1922. Wounded in the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch when Hitler tried to seize power, he became addicted to morphine. The 1930s saw him established as president of Reichstag in 1932, going on to found the Gestapo and begin a systematic purge of political opponents.
He was an important instrument of the Nazification of the state, ensuring that Germany’s civil institutions fell into line behind the new regime. And was one of the few who could speak to Hitler on equal terms. By 1938 he had amassed immense wealth, acquired vast estates and became a prolific collector of looted art. As the war drew to a close Göring sent a telegram to Hitler suggesting that he should assume leadership if the Führer were incapacitated. In response, a paranoid Hitler branded him a traitor, stripped him of office and ordered his arrest. Instead he was captured by American troops at which point he was overweight and suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems, and morphine addiction.
He was assessed by psychiatrists in prison, who found his ‘normality’ and love for his children chilling given the contrast with the evil he personified. His IQ was tested at 138, one of the highest, with extroversion and dominance notable on personality scales. Sentenced to be hung he committed suicide the night before the execution using a cyanide capsule.
Born 12 January 1893 4am Rosenheim, Germany, he had a Capricorn Sun on the cusp of his quick-witted 3rd house though with one foot in his financial 2nd along with Mercury and Venus so indulgence and the acquisition of beautiful things would be a passion. He also had a high-vitality and upfront Mars Jupiter in Aries in his performing 5th house (also of children) with Jupiter square his Sun and both Mars and Jupiter opposition his Saturn so he would wobble between highs and lows. His Mars sat on one leg of a yod sextile Neptune Pluto in Gemini inconjunct Uranus. Neptune Pluto as ever a marker for that generation some of whom wreaked great damage.
His inherent cruelty would come from Mars opposition Saturn and sextile Pluto Neptune. His lawless defiance from a focal point Uranus which can be a trailblazer and a catalyst though also divisive and a disruptor. Tr Pluto was square his Uranus as the war ended in 1944/45 prodding his yod onto a radically different track. His relationship chart with Hitler suggested a degree of unease with an explosive composite Mars opposition Uranus; and a suspicious and blocked Saturn opposition Sun square Neptune Pluto – war and megalomaniac ambitions made it hold together for a while.
Russell Crowe who plays him, 7 April 1964 Wellington, New Zealand, maybe 2am (unverified) fits the role remarkably well since he has Mars, Sun and Jupiter spread out throughout Aries, Venus in Gemini to connect to Goring’s Neptune Pluto and Goring’s Scorpio Moon Uranus conjunct Crowe’s 10th house filmic Neptune and Midheaven. He also has a yod of a 12th house Moon Aquarius sextile Mars inconjunct Uranus – quite a few points of contact and similarity.
The Nuremberg Trials started on 20 November 1945 with an approaching Mars Pluto conjunction in Leo; and the Scorpio Sun trine Saturn and Procyon, the Fixed star of the rise and fall on the wheel of fortune.
Goring reportedly believed that eventually there would be statues of him in every town square across Germany — along statues of Goethe, Bach et al. Instead, there are universities, schools, streets, a youth hostel, a bridge and associated subway station, a town square and countless plaques on buildings commemorating morally motivated German anti-Nazis, most of whom didn’t survive the likes of Goring but matter infinitely more to Germans now than this “charming” monster. As well, huge numbers of German girls and women are named “Sophie” for Sophie Scholl of the White Rose. For non-German admirers of these incredibly brave heroes such as myself, this is very gratifying to know.
Sophie Scholl was a woman
of remarkable courage.
The film “Sophie Scholl:
“The Final Days” is well
worth watching.
I read a book called The Forger’s Spell. In all his greed and vanity, Goring was the prime victim of Han van Meegeren, who produced fake Vermeers and sold them to Goring. Many so-called experts also believed the scam. Van Meegeren b. Oct 10, 1889, couldn’t make it as an artist in the conventional way, and so went on another path.
Astrology aside, I watched 1961’s Judgment at Nuremberg not too long ago and was captivated. While I can’t speak to this new version, the old one is a courtroom procedural that was absolutely gripping. It has an all-star cast but there’s one scene with Montgomery Clift that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat. I’m not a cinephile by any means but the writing of the 1961 movie is still very relevant today and overall, it was superb. I can’t recommend it enough. That said, anything with Russell Crowe is almost always a sure bet for me 🙂