The Night of the Long Knives Flashcards
When was the Night of the Long Knives?
30 June 1934.
As Chancellor, Hitler still felt threatened by the power of which 2 groups?
-The army
-The SA
Why had many of the SA become a problem?
Many of them were unemployed, violent thugs who wanted well-paid jobs as a reward for their loyalty, now that Hitler was in power.
Who was the SA leader?
Ernst Rohm
What did Rohm want which alarmed Hitler as well as the army leaders?
He wanted to join the SA with the army, with both under his control.
Why did Hitler need to keep the army leaders happy?
He would need their skills if he were to get back the land Germany had lost through the Treaty of Versailles.
What were the rumours about Rohm?
That he was about to seize power and take over from Hitler.
How many people were executed during the Night of the Long Knives?
Around 400
What had happened to many of the people close to Hitler who were regarded as a threat after the Night of the Long Knives?
They were now dead - and not just Rohm, but all the leading Nazis who didn’t agree with Hitler.
Who had Hitler killed who wasn’t even a Nazi?
A former chancellor, Kurt von Schleicher.
Who emerged as the group now responsible for Hitler’s security after the Night of the Long Knives?
The SS, not the SA.
Who led the SS?
Heinrich Himmler.
What would happen to the SS after the Night of the Long Knives?
They would grow in importance after this.
What did the SS along with the Gestapo form?
The basis of the ‘police state’ that Germany had become.
What would happen to the SA after the Night of the Long Knives?
It was not abolished, but was never again a major force in Germany.
