GORING, HERMANN ), German politician, was born on 12th January, 1893, and joined the army in 1912 as lieutenant of infantry. In 1914 he went to the front with his regiment, but soon transferred to the air arm, in which he won the highest honour "pour le merite," and commanding the Richt hofen squadron in 1918. He was promoted to General some years after the war. After serving two years in Swedish civil aviation, he returned to Germany, associated himself with Adolf Hitler (q.v.) and became organiser and leader of the S. A. Wounded in the Munich Putsch (November, 1923) he took refuge in Italy, returning in 1927. He was one of the first Nazi members of the Reichstag and quickly became the best known member of the Party, after Hitler himself. In August, 1932, he became Presi dent of the Reichstag; and when Hitler became Chancellor in January, 1933, Goring was promoted to Reich Minister for Air and Prussian Minister President and Minister of the Interior.
(C. A. M.) GORIZIA (German Gorz; Slovene Gorica), the capital of a province in Venetia Giulia, Italy, 25 m. E. of Udine by rail. Pop. (1921) 26,334, town; 39,829 commune. It lies on the left bank of the Isonzo in a valley almost surrounded by hills. It is the seat of an archbishopric. The richly decorated 17th century church of St. Ignatius was built by the Jesuits. The old castle, formerly the seat of the counts of Gorizia, dominates the town. Owing to its mild climate, Gorizia was called the Nice of Austria.
Its topographical position made Gorizia the centre of im portant battles in the World War. On the right bank of the river the village of Podgora, opposite Gorizia, with the hill of the same name dominating, constituted one of the most formidable bulwarks of the Austrian bridgehead, and the Sabotino, farther north, with its vast network of dug-outs and caverns, capable of sheltering many regiments, was the other. Repeated attacks on the two hills from June 1915 onward were repulsed with heavy loss, and the attempts to capture the Oslavia saddle between them resulted in desperate engagements at various points which were captured and lost many times. In the general offensive against Gorizia of Aug. 1916, after elaborate preparations con ducted by Colonel (later Field Marshal) Badoglio, Hill 188, Oslavia, the Sabotino and Podgora were finally captured with comparatively small loss, and the operations on San Michele (see CARSO) having been equally successful, the Italians were able to occupy Gorizia on the 8th. The positions north and east were never completely held, owing to heavy enemy fire, while those to the east remained for the most part in Austrian hands. After Caporetto (Oct. 1917) Gorizia itself had to be evacuated together with all the positions on both banks of the Isonzo. It was reoccupied after Vittorio Veneto (Oct. 1928). The town, which suffered great damage, has been almost entirely reconstructed.