Hermann Goering's Brother Risked His Life to Fight the Nazis

By the end of his life, Albert Goering saved hundreds of lives and was the driving force behind the release of hundreds of prisoners...

Albert Goering was the younger brother of Nazi leader Hermann Goering. You might remember Hermann Goering from his promise to destroy the Royal Air Force, as well as the fact that he was one of Hitler's closest men. 

Unlike his older brother, Albert Goering was not a Nazi, nor did he align with his brother's methods of thinking. 

In fact, Albert hated the Nazis. He moved from Germany to Austria when the Nazi party took power. But, when Germany invaded Austria in 1938, Albert used his brother's position of power against him. 

When the Nazis marched into Vienna, Albert personally went out of his way to organize safe escape routes and distribute exit visas to Jewish residents. 

By the end of WWII, Albert Goering was able to save the lives of hundreds of Jews and political prisoners. 

He kept a direct line of contact with his brother at all times, and he constantly used his brother's guilt and fragile ego against him. He convinced his brother that the people he was saving were "good Jews," and whether his brother believed him or not, he never attacked. 

Albert was arrested on many occasions, but his connections within the Nazi party and the fact that his brother was one of Hitler's closest associates sheltered him from the wrath of the Nazis. 

Ironically, Albert was jailed for two years after WWII ended because of his connection to his brother. Albert was unemployable after he was released, and he died with no cash in his pocket or home to be spoken of. However, he was cared for by the people that he saved during WWII. 

He has only recently received recognition for his bravery during one of the scariest times in human history. 

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Post originally appeared on History Obsessed.