Goering, Goering, gone: Nazi heavyweight's uniform for sale at £85k

The sweat-stained outfit of Hermann Goering, who founded the Gestapo and was commander of the German air force, is for sale at £85,000.

John Cabello, of Devon-Parade Antiques, Plymouth, where the uniform is being sold, said: "Goering was hugely overweight and had a tendency to perspire a lot. That would explain the profusion of sweat in the tunic.

"The stress levels on the tunic's folds coupled with the strain on the broaches of the tunic show it was worn by someone overweight.

"This also proves it was worn for a long, long time by someone who was fat enough to cause it to stretch and wear over a period of time.

"He also had a habit when he used to walk around talking to people of putting his left hand into his left pocket. Because of this the wear on the left pocket is substantially more than the right."

Mr Cabello bought the item at auction from a Swiss collector.

The outfit was made by the Viennese tailor, Tiller, who was known to have made uniforms for the Nazis during the war.

Although the tailoring of dove grey blue ensemble is very good, the materials used are of remarkably lower quality when compared to the uniforms worn by Nazi officers at the beginning of the war.

Mr Cabello, from Plymouth, Devon, said: "As the war progressed, it got harder to get materials and quality everywhere went down.

"There was also an effort by Goering to appear less grand during the latter part of the war. This is because as he was going around meeting the population, if he looks like he is living in opulence when they are in poverty it would not go down well."

The uniform is being sold as a set which includes the original tunic, trousers and braces worn by Goering as well as a replica peaked cap and an original Nazi general's belt that would not have been owned by the Nazi commander.

It is being sold by Parade Antiques in Plymouth, Devon.

Goering committed suicide in October 1946 the night before he was to have been hanged.