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

The History of Germany: Kingdoms, War, and Rebuilding Europe — Fexingo History · Jun 8, 2026 · 5m · transcript

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…