Nazi Germany: The Night of the Long Knives

Study Notes

The Night of the Long Knives

Hitler ambushed the SA, executing Rohm, their leader, due to Nazi members believing Hitler was too friendly with rich conservatives and lost touch with ordinary Nazi members.
Nazi members wanted more action against Jews and big businesses, but Hitler refused, considering it too early.
Rohm openly criticized Hitler, and Himmler used this to spread rumors of his disloyalty.
On June 30, Hitler and his SS men ambushed the SA at a Bavarian hotel, arresting and executing Rohm, with 200 killed.

Hitler Strategies

Munich Putsch: Hitler attempted to seize power by recruiting 20,000 members and seeking support from the Bavarian state government.
On November 8, Hitler announced a national revolution, but it failed, and he was arrested.
Hitler made speeches during his trial, spreading his name outside Bavaria.

Hitler's Trial and Sentence

Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in prison, but served only 9 months.
During his time in prison, Hitler wrote Mein Kampf, setting out his political beliefs.

Other Strategies

Founded organizations such as the Hitler Youth, the Order of German Women, the Nazi Teachers Association, and the Union of Nazi Lawyers.
Campaigned against the Young Plan, which would reduce reparation payments and spread them over 59 years.

SA and SS

Sturmabteilung (SA): a unit meant to protect Nazi speakers during meetings, led by Ernest Rohm, and heavily involved in street fighting.
Schutzstaffel (SS): created in 1925 by Hitler as his personal bodyguards, becoming a significant organization in the Nazi state later on.

The Exploitation of Widespread Distress

Propaganda: used cinema and radio to spread the Nazi message, with posters featuring simple but effective slogans emphasizing Hitler as Germany's savior.
Speeches: Hitler was a persuasive speaker, using speeches to express the anger and frustration of the German people.
6,000 members were trained to deliver messages tailored to appeal to specific audiences.

Political Violence

Those under Rohm's leadership frequently beat up communists and disrupted KPD meetings, resulting in approximately 82 deaths.

Nazis and Art and Culture

Media: the Editor's Law held editors accountable for the content they published, reducing articles critical of the Nazis.
People's Receiver: a cheap radio produced to allow German people to receive propaganda through entertainment.

Art

Degenerate Art: an exhibition arranged by Goebbels to educate the public about 'immoral' and 'repulsive' art that went against Nazi values, including modern art such as Picasso and Van Gogh.

Life in Nazi Germany

Youth: Nazi ideology was taught in schools, and subjects such as biology were changed to promote racial superiority.
Jewish/politically suspect teachers were fired.
Hitler Youth: meant to prepare young boys for the army, with activities such as camping, athletics, and singing songs.
Membership was compulsory after 1939.
League of German Maidens: used to teach girls cooking and domestic skills, such as performing household chores and cooking.

Description

Learn about the event where Hitler ambushed the SA and executed its leader Rohm, due to Nazi members' concerns about Hitler's relationship with rich conservatives and lack of action against Jews and big businesses.