

 

Doctor Ready to Become

Boss

During the coming war Göring’s popularity with the German
public remained largely intact  often shaken, but never en-
tirely shattered. He could visit the most heartrending scenes of
air-raid devastation and be cheered by the common people. Af-
ter touring the Ruhr in October , he would say, baffled by
his own popularity, “I would have expected them at least to
throw some rotten eggs at me.” The public readily forgave him
his vain boast that if ever an enemy bomber reached Germany
they could call him “Mr. Meier.” The people did not even be-
grudge him his extravagant life-style; it was only at the very
highest level that his sybaritic indulgences lost him friends. After
Göring froze him out as minister of agriculture, Darré would
write in his diary (on December , ) harsh comments about
the field marshal’s hedonistic existence at Carinhall. “It seems to