Night of the Long Knives ( Consolidation of Power ) Flashcards

1
Q

How did membership of the SA grow ?

A
  • went from a membership of around 500,000 in January 1933, the organisation grew to around 3 million - strong a year later
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2
Q

What recognised the SA’s powers legally ?

A
  • activities gained legal authority
  • in late February 1933, the SA and Stahlhelm were merged and became recognised as ‘ auxiliary police ‘
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3
Q

What was SA violence like ?

A
  • Much of the violence of the SA against Nazis’ political opponents, and against Jews, was unplanned, uncoordinated and piecemeal.
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4
Q

How did Hitler view the Nazi Revolution ?

A
  • In July 1933, Hitler was able to declare the Nazi revolution was over
  • he acquired dictatorial powers and all other parties had been banned
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5
Q

How did Ernst Rohm and the SA view the Nazi Revolution ?

A
  • The Nazi Revolution was far from over and the SA were determined to continue with their violence until they achieved the Second Revolution
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6
Q

What was Ernst Rohms aims for the SA ?

A
  • For the SA to become the nucleus of a new national militia that would eventually absorb and replace siting army
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7
Q

Why did the SA start to feel frustrated ?

A
  • 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.
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8
Q

How did the army view the SA ?

A
  • ambitions of the SA and its leader Ernst Rohm were regarded as a serious threat by the army leaders
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9
Q

Why was support of the army important for Hitler ?

A
  • 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
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10
Q

When was the Night of the Long Knives ?

A
  • 30 June 1934
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11
Q

What was Hitler’s reaction / response of the NOTLK ?

A
  • 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
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12
Q

What was the Night of the Long Knives ?

A
  • ruthless purge of the SA
  • SS, acting on Hitler’s orders, eliminated the leadership of the SA and many other political opponents
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13
Q

What was the impact of the NOTLK ?

A
  • secured the army’s support
  • Hitler also gained public support for his apparently decisive actions
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14
Q

What was the impact of the NOTLK for the SA ?

A
  • 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
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15
Q

Victims of the NOTLK ?

A
  • 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
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16
Q

Role of Papen in the cause of the NOTLK ?

A
  • 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
17
Q

Short term cause of the NOTLK ?

A
  • 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.