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

In June 1934, Adolf Hitler ordered the murder of his own paramilitary leaders, including Ernst Röhm and the SA top brass, in what became known as the Night of the Long Knives. This episode explores the political maneuvering behind the purge: the rivalry between the SA and the Reichswehr, the role of Heinrich Himmler and the SS, the fabricated evidence of an imminent SA coup, and the legal cover provided by the Gesetz über die Notwehr des Staates. We also discuss Kurt von Schleicher's assassination, the fate of conservative critics like Gustav von Kahr, and how the event solidified Hitler's control over Germany. Specific names and dates include: Ernst Röhm, Edmund Heines, Karl Ernst, Kurt von Schleicher, Gustav von Kahr, Gregor Strasser, Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Göring, Reinhard Heydrich, Theodor Eicke, the Lichterfelde barracks execution, and the Bad Wiessee raid on June 30, 1934. #NightOfTheLongKnives #RöhmPutsch #ErnstRöhm #SA #SS #HeinrichHimmler #HermannGöring #ReinhardHeydrich #KurtVonSchleicher #GregorStrasser #BadWiessee #Lichterfelde #WeimarRepublic #NaziGermany #History #FexingoHistory #GermanHistory #1934 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo