[2] She was born Emma Johanna Henny Sonnemann in Hamburg, Germany on 24 March 1893 to a wealthy salesman.

[12] Hermann Göring named his country house Carinhall after his first wife, while referring to his hunting lodge at Rominten (now Krasnolesye) – the Reichsjägerhof – as "Emmyhall".

[citation needed] Emmy served as Hitler's hostess at many state functions prior to the Second World War.

This and her claim to be the "First Lady of the Third Reich" created much animosity between herself and Hitler's future wife, Eva Braun, whom she snubbed and openly despised.

[5] As wife of one of the richest and most powerful men in Europe, she received much public attention, was constantly photographed,[14] and enjoyed a lavish lifestyle well into the Second World War.

[17][18] After the end of the war, she was arrested at her home in Sackdilling and was imprisoned at Straubing camp, ninety miles from Nuremberg,[9] with her daughter, sister, niece and a servant.

[21] Some years after her release from jail, Emmy secured a very small flat in a building in the city of Munich and remained there for the rest of her life.