Karl Ernst: Nazi SA Leader Executed During the Night of the Long Knives

Karl Ernst was one of the most powerful SA leaders in Berlin before Adolf Hitler had him executed during the Night of the Long Knives. His rise and fall reflects the violent ascent of the Nazi movement and the ruthless purge that eliminated many of Hitler's own followers.Born into the chaos of post–First World War Germany, he drifted through Berlin’s nightlife as a bouncer and rumored gay prostitute before joining the Sturmabteilung—the SA, Hitler’s notorious Brownshirt militia. In the turbulent politics of the Weimar Republic, Ernst quickly rose through the ranks, valued for his brutality, loyalty, and willingness to carry out acts that others preferred to avoid.By the early 1930s, Ernst had become one of Berlin’s most feared SA commanders. He played a central role in attacks on political opponents, acted as an enforcer during Nazi rallies, and, according to many contemporary accounts, helped instigate the infamous 1931 Kurfürstendamm antisemitic riot. His name would later surface in rumors surrounding the Reichstag Fire, a pivotal event that Hitler used to crush civil liberties and secure dictatorial power.But Ernst’s rise also came with danger. His close association with Ernst Röhm—and widespread accusations of homosexuality within the SA leadership—made him a target for Hitler’s increasingly conservative allies and for the rival SS. On 30 June 1934, during the Night of the Long Knives, the SS arrested Karl Ernst, transported him back to Berlin, and executed him without trial. He was only 29 years old.Karl Ernst’s life traces the arc of the SA itself: meteoric rise, unchecked terror, and sudden destruction once the group outlived its usefulness. His downfall reveals how ruthlessly the Nazi regime turned on its own men when power demanded it.This episode is part of the series The Rise and Fall of the SA: Hitler’s Brownshirts.Watch the full documentary and explore hundreds of historical films at:WorldHistory.tv