The Enabling Act• Nazis still did not have over 50% of seats• They needed a 2/3rds majority to change
constitution• Nazis wanted to pass the Enabling Act
– Would allow Nazis to pass laws without votes in Reichstag and without Article 48
• Would turn Germany into a Dictatorship
• Nazis used emergency decree powers to arrest Communists
• Convinces Catholic Party to support him– In return for allowing Catholic Schools to operate!
• Enabling act passed 441 – 84– Hitler is now a Dictator!
Homework• Explain why Hitler had these killed on the
night of 29th/30th June 1934 – Ernst Rohm– Gregor Strasser– Von Kahr– Von Schleicher– Father Stempfle– + up to 400 others
• Or– Find a complete list of all those who died on that
night!
The Night of the Long Knives
Hitler makes sure that he is in control of the Nazi Revolution
A Possible Challenger to Hitler
• Although the Enabling Act gave Hitler dictatorial powers, he still had to be careful of one German institution that could remove him from power.– Which one?
The Reichswehr
The Reichswehr v SA
• The German Army– Hindenburg CinC– Limited by Treaty of
Versailles• 100,000
– Experienced Soldiers• Mostly officers and NCOs
– Anti-Communist– Strongly Nationalist– Uneasy about other
organisations carrying weapons
• Sturm Abteilung– Rohm CinC– 2 million members– Inexperienced Thugs– Anti-Communist
• But Radical• Impatient with political
process
– Strongly Nationalist• Anti-Jewish
– Wanted to replace Reichswehr
But the SA also has another Nazi Rival to deal with!
The SA versus the SS
• SS– Himmler– Set up in 1927
• to act as Hitler’s Bodyguards
– Small group of fanatical loyalists
• “My honour is Loyalty”
• SA– Rohm– Set up in 1921
• to provide protection to Nazis and intimidate opponents
– Large group of sometimes ‘uncontrollable’ thugs
The Night of the Long Knives• When
– Night of 29th/30th June 1934• Where
– Most SA rounded up from a small hotel in a village near Munich
– Other victims picked up at their homes• Who
– Up to 400 victims (next slide)– SS soldiers did the arresting– Hitler personally took part
• Why– To gain the support of the Reichswehr– To remove rivals to the Nazi Movement– To settle old scores
Some of the victims 29th/30th June 1934
• Ernst Rohm
• Gregor Strasser
• Von Kahr
• Von Schleicher
• Koppel
• Father Stempfle
• + up to 400 others
Some of the victims 29th/30th June 1934
• Ernst Rohm – Head of SA– Shot after failing to commit suicide
• Gregor Strasser – Berlin Nazi– Shot in prison
• Von Kahr – ex Bavarian leader– Hacked to death with axes, thrown in swamp
• Von Schleicher – ex Chancellor– Shot at home with wife
• Koppel - communist– executed
• Father Stempfel – Catholic priest – Broken neck + 3 bullets in heart
• + up to 400 others (Mostly SA but also opponents)
Was it a success?
Was it a success?• When Hindenburg died in August 1934, the
Reichswehr were prepared to add to their oath of loyalty:– ". . . to render unconditional obedience to the Fuhrer of the
German Reich and people, Adolf Hitler…".
• The Reichswehr accepted Hitler as their new Commander in Chief
• No Nazis would ever challenge Hitler again• It was surprisingly popular
– Hitler was standing up to the ‘radical’ Nazis– He was a ‘reasonable’ Nazi???