The “Night of the Long Knives”

Hitler murders the entire SA leadership

After establishing his dictatorship by 1934, Hitler felt strong enough to address an issue in his own party that threatened his domestic and foreign policy plans. As the leader of the Sturmabteilung or SA, the paramilitary wing of the NSDAP, Ernst Röhm had contributed significantly to Hitler’s success and was demanding payback. Wanting to reward the mostly unemployed members of the SA, Röhm planned an SA takeover of the German armed forces or Reichswehr. None of this fitted with Hitler’s plans: he needed the support of his industrial backers and a reliable professional army to realize his foreign policy goals. Needing an excuse to do away with Röhm and his circle, Hitler accused them of plotting to overthrow the new government and seize power for themselves.

On 30 June 1934, Hitler sent members of the SS – a smaller rival paramilitary organization that provided his bodyguard – to take the SA leadership into custody and shoot them the following night. Hitler also took the opportunity to settle other scores and sent killers to murder political rivals such as Kurt von Schleicher, Hitler’s immediate predecessor as Chancellor. With between 90 and 180 people falling victim to what soon became known as the “Night of the Long Knives”, Hitler needed to bring popular opinion onside. In addition to the alleged coup, he focussed on the homosexuality of Röhm and his inner circle in order to discredit them. By issuing orders to execute his enemies, Hitler had usurped judicial powers and ended the last vestiges of due legal process in Germany.