Hitler Becomes Fuhrer/ Night of the Long Knives

Question 1

Who was Ernest Rohm?

Answer 1

Head of the SA

Question 2

Why were Rohm and the SA a potential threat to Hitler?

Answer 2

1. Rohm did not like Hitler’s policies
2. Many of the SA were bitter because they felt undervalued and angry -> many were still unemployed -> but they were loyal to Rohm.
3. The SA was much bigger than the army, and the army feared Rohm wanted to replace them.
4. The leaders of the SS wanted to reduce the size of the SA in order to increase their own power.

Question 3

Who ran the SS?

Answer 3

Heinrich Himmler

Question 4

The Night of the Long Knives -

Answer 4

Hitler decided to rid himself of the threat of Rohm and the SA

Question 5

1. Hitler invited Rohm and other SA leaders to a meeting - it was a ruse and when the leaders arrived they were….

Answer 5

arrested by the SS and taken to Munich to be shot.

Question 6

2. After the arrests and killing of SA members, Hitler also eliminated von Papen as opposition as he has von Papen’s staff arrested -> they could not control Hitler anymore.

Answer 6

von Schleicher was also killed.

Question 7

Army Oath of Allegiance

Answer 7

The day Hindenburg died, Hitler announced the army should swear an oath of allegiance to him, not to Germany.

Question 8

SA oath of Allegiance

Answer 8

The SA were also to swear loyalty to Hitler, and Hitler only.

Question 9

Death of Hindenburg

Answer 9

President Hindenburg was the only person senior to Hitler. In August 1023, he died. Within hours, a Law Concerning the Head of State merged the offices of Chancellor and President to create a new role called Fuhrer.

Question 10

Hitler became Fuhrer in…

Answer 10

August 1924