“The Night of the Long Knives made Hitler’s power in the Nazi state complete”

By spring 1934 Adolf Hitler faced a major crisis. For months, the Stormtroopers, a massive paramilitary organisation over 4 million strong, had posed an increasing threat to Nazi rule. Their arrogant abuse of power made them unpopular with much of the public. But they also made enemies in high places – among the Nazi leadership including the SS, among the conservative elites, and not least among the leaders of the army.

The ambition of Ernst Röhm, head of the Stormtroopers, to subordinate the army to a people’s militia under his control made a clash with the Wehrmacht leadership inevitable. And Hitler could not afford to alienate the army.

However, he awaited the best moment to rid himself of the SA scourge. By June 1934 he could wait no longer. Amid fears of a possible coup by the SA or by conservative reactionaries with the ear of Reich president Paul von Hindenburg, backed by the army, Hitler acted – and with the utmost ruthlessness.

The Night of the Long Knives served as a warning to any further potential internal enemies. It also bound the grateful army to Hitler. It profited the SS, which had carried out most of the bloodletting, and increased the power of its head, Heinrich Himmler. Ultimately, the Night of the Long Knives made Hitler’s power in the Nazi state complete.

Ian Kershaw’s books include Hitler (Penguin, 2010), To Hell and Back: Europe, 1914-1949 (Allen Lane, 2015) and the forthcoming RollerCoaster: Europe 1950-2017 (Allen Lane)