6.2 The Night Of The Long Knives

Question 1

When was the Night of the Long Knives?

Answer 1

30 June 1934

Question 2

Why did Hitler enact the Knight of the Long Knives?

Answer 2

• Hitler felt threatened by the power of the army and the SA
• they now wanted well-paid jobs as a reward for their loyalty
• Rohm wanted to merge stormtroopers with the German army and take charge
• this alarmed Hitler and army leaders
• Hitler needed to keep the army leaders happy, he would need their skills to get back the land Germany land lost from T of V

Question 3

What happened during the Night of The Long Knives?

Answer 3

• Hitler and the SS stormed into a hotel with machine guns
• staying at the hotel were important members of the SA
• Ernst Röhm and others were arrested and shot dead
• over the next few days around 400 people were executed including former Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher
• Hitler publicised this event and rewarded the SS

Question 4

What impact did the Night of the Long Knives have?

Answer 4

• people who were close to Hitler but didn’t agree with him were dead
• the SS became those responsible for Hitler’s security. SA was not abolished, but it was no longer a major force
• Hitler was open about what he did: he got away with murder. Hitler established murder as part of what the Nazi government did

Question 5

Did the SS grow in importance after the Night of the Long Lives?

Answer 5

• yes
• they, along with the Gestapo, formed the basis of the police state

Question 6

Police state def

Answer 6

Country controlled by a political police force, the government has strict controls over people’s lives, especially by the means of a secret police force