Night of the Long Knives ( Consolidation of Power ) Flashcards
How did membership of the SA grow ?
- went from a membership of around 500,000 in January 1933, the organisation grew to around 3 million - strong a year later
What recognised the SA’s powers legally ?
- activities gained legal authority
- in late February 1933, the SA and Stahlhelm were merged and became recognised as ‘ auxiliary police ‘
What was SA violence like ?
- Much of the violence of the SA against Nazis’ political opponents, and against Jews, was unplanned, uncoordinated and piecemeal.
How did Hitler view the Nazi Revolution ?
- In July 1933, Hitler was able to declare the Nazi revolution was over
- he acquired dictatorial powers and all other parties had been banned
How did Ernst Rohm and the SA view the Nazi Revolution ?
- The Nazi Revolution was far from over and the SA were determined to continue with their violence until they achieved the Second Revolution
What was Ernst Rohms aims for the SA ?
- For the SA to become the nucleus of a new national militia that would eventually absorb and replace siting army
Why did the SA start to feel frustrated ?
- began to have a limited influence
- felt resentment at the way former conservative opponents of the Nazis were allowed to join the Nazi Party and take important jobs in local and central government.
How did the army view the SA ?
- ambitions of the SA and its leader Ernst Rohm were regarded as a serious threat by the army leaders
Why was support of the army important for Hitler ?
- army remained the only institution with the power to remove Hitler from office
- they were loyal to Hindenburg
- the army was not a Nazified institution
When was the Night of the Long Knives ?
- 30 June 1934
What was Hitler’s reaction / response of the NOTLK ?
- Hitler addressed the Reichstag on 13 July, accepting full responsibility for the executions
- he said, he was acting, as the ‘ supreme judge ‘ of the German people and had been compelled to act in order to save the country from an SA coup
What was the Night of the Long Knives ?
- ruthless purge of the SA
- SS, acting on Hitler’s orders, eliminated the leadership of the SA and many other political opponents
What was the impact of the NOTLK ?
- secured the army’s support
- Hitler also gained public support for his apparently decisive actions
What was the impact of the NOTLK for the SA ?
- SA declined sharply after NOTLK, by October 1935, its membership had declined to 1.6 million
- Without Rohm as its leader, its political power was destroyed
Victims of the NOTLK ?
- included Rohm and other leaders of the SA
- At least 84 were executed and another 1000 or more arrested
- Hitler took the opportunity to remove other opponents and settle some old scores : Among other victims were General Schleicher, Gregor Strasser and Gustav von Kahr
Role of Papen in the cause of the NOTLK ?
- Papen made a Speech at Marburg University on the 17th June, in which he criticised Nazi excesses.
- Papen called for an end to terror and for Hitler to clamp down on the SA’s call for a Second Revolution. Speech had Hindenburg’s approval and was reported in the press.
- this increased pressure on Hitler to deal with the problem
Short term cause of the NOTLK ?
- Bloomberg, again with Hindenburg’s support, threatened to declare martial law and give the army power to deal with the SA, matters came to a head.