The Night of the Long Knives: Hitler's Blood Purge

In June 1934, Adolf Hitler ordered the murder of his own paramilitary leaders, including Ernst Röhm and the entire top echelon of the SA. This episode of The History of Germany explores the Night of the Long Knives — a turning point where Hitler consolidated absolute power by eliminating rivals within the Nazi Party. We examine the SA's revolutionary ambitions, the uneasy alliance between Hitler and the Reichswehr, and the role of Heinrich Himmler's SS in carrying out the purge. Lucas and Luna discuss the key figures: Ernst Röhm, whose stormtroopers demanded a 'second revolution'; Kurt von Schleicher, the former chancellor caught in the crossfire; and Gregor Strasser, a left-leaning Nazi who opposed Hitler's deal with industrialists. We also cover the legal aftermath: how Hitler retroactively justified the murders with the Law Regarding Measures of State Self-Defense, and how the German public and international community reacted. This episode unpacks a brutal, decisive moment that paved the way for the Third Reich. #NightOfTheLongKnives #ErnstRöhm #SA #SS #Hitler #NaziGermany #1934 #KurtVonSchleicher #GregorStrasser #HeinrichHimmler #Reichswehr #BloodPurge #RöhmPutsch #ThirdReich #GermanHistory #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #PoliticalViolence Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo