Backstabber Report

Ernst Röhm Backstabbed By Friend Hitler

For those familiar with the name, Ernst Röhm, you may be surprised to see him on our site. One of the most militant Nazis and a loathsome human being he garners no sympathy, but he was still backstabbed by Hitler, which makes for interesting reading.

If Hitler ever had anything close to what could be referred to as a friend, it was Ernst Röhm, which is difficult to believe such a friendship lasted as long as it did, considering the murderous and backstabbing natures of both.

In 1919, Röhm met Hitler when he joined the German Workers’ Party (to become the National Socialist German Workers Party), and helped organize the SA, a political army that protected the party leadership, battled opponents such as the Communist Red Front and terrorized Jews. They became political allies and close friends, with Röhm being the only one known to have called Hitler, “Adolph” rather than “mein Fuhrer” when in the presence of others.

Röhm and many he appointed in the SA were homosexual. Even though Röhm was a known homosexual, a class that Hitler would later exterminate, when it came to his friend and the SA in the early years of the friendship, Hitler would only respond that he had long been privately aware; although he disapproved of their behavior. He further stated that ‘the SA are a band of warriors and not a moral institution.’

As the years progressed and Hitler further consolidated his power over the “regular” military that saw the threat of having the SA as overlords, Hitler began making concessions for the standing military to be devoted to “Der Furher,” rather than to Germany.

As Hitler began to change the SA’s role with changes, Röhm began to publicly criticize Hitler for failing to follow the socialist doctrine originally envisioned. There were feelings that Röhm might one day try to seize power himself with the personal army that numbered 100,000.
Hitler told British diplomat Anthony Eden that he planned to reduce the SA by two thirds and that the SA would be left only a few minor military functions.

The possibility of an SA rebellion seemed even more plausible when Röhm responded with further complaints about Hitler, and began expanding the armed elements of the SA.

Eventually, leading officers in the regular army (who were now wearing the swastika as part of their military uniform, by agreement) were shown falsified evidence on June 24, 1934 from Himmler, Göring, and Goebbels that Röhm planned to use the SA to launch a plot against the government, referred to at that time as the “Röhm-Putsch.” By this time, rumors were officially recognized. Reports of the SA threat were passed to Hitler and he knew it was time to finally act.

On June 28, Hitler phoned Röhm and asked him to gather all the SA leaders with whom he was vacationing at Bad Wiessee on June 30 for a conference. Röhm agreed, apparently unsuspicious.

Meanwhile Göring, Himmler, and others (at Hitler’s direction) drew up lists of people in and outside the SA to be killed. Himmler issued marching orders for the SS to act against the SA, while another went around showing regular army officers a purported SA execution list.

The date of June 30th marked the beginning of the Night of the Long Knives. Hitler flew to Munich and then drove to Bad Wiessee, where he personally arrested Röhm and the other SA leaders. All were imprisoned at Stadelheim Prison in Munich. Beginning on June 30th and lasting until July 2, 1934, the entire leadership of the SA was purged, along with many other political adversaries of the Nazis.

Hitler was uneasy authorizing Röhm’s execution and gave Röhm an opportunity to commit suicide, as presented by an officer at the prison. Röhm refused by replying that if Hitler wanted him dead, he should do the job himself. After 10 minutes, having left a gun and a bullet with Röhm, the officer returned and shot the bare chested Röhm who presented it in defiance to his executioner.

A few days later, the claim of the SA rebellion was publicized. On July 13th, Hitler made a public speech alluding to Röhm’s homosexuality and explained the executions and purge of the SA as defense against a treason plot.