Night of the Long Knives/Related Articles

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Parent topics

• Adolf Hitler [r]: (1889–1945) Politician in Germany; became 1921 Nazi Party leader, 1933 Reichskanzler (Chancellor), then 1934 as der Führer dictator before and during World War II. ^[e]
• National Socialism [r]: Add brief definition or description
  • Socialism in National Socialism [r]: The role of various socialist ideas in the practical development of the Nazi movement ^[e]

Subtopics

Victims

• Herbert von Bose [r]: Franz von Papen's secretary; killed in his office during the Night of the Long Knives purge ^[e]
• Ferdinand von Bredow [r]: Major General in Reichswehr who headed Abwehr military counterintelligence and was deputy defense minister;associate of Kurt von Schleicher; opponent of Adolf Hitler; shot during Night of the Long Knives ^[e]
• Georg von Detten [r]: SA-Gruppenfuehrer, Sturmabteilung political chief, NSDAP Reichstag deputy; killed in the Night of the Long Knives ^[e]
• Werner Engels [r]: SA-Sturmbannführer, acting Police President of Breslau; killed during Night of the Long Knives ^[e]
• Karl Ernst [r]: (1904-1934) Freikorps Rossbach, ex-hotel doorman, homosexual protege of Paul Röhrbein + Ernst Röhm, SA Gruppenführer, NSDAP Reichstag deputy; shot during Night of the Long Knives; last words were “Heil Hitler!” ^[e]
• Walter Foerster [r]: Lawyer, in Hirschberg, Germany, who had worked against the Nazis; killed in the Night of the Long Knives ^[e] (A Hirschberg lawyer who had taken part in legal proceedings against National Socialists. Executed in Hirschberg 1 July 1934)
• Fritz Gerlich [r]: (1883-1934) German Catholic and conservative journalist, anti-Nazi after witnessing Beer Hall Putsch, arrested 1933 by Nazis; held in Dachau Concentration Camp; killed during the Night of the Long Knives ^[e] (1883-1934, anti-Nazi Catholic journalist, arrested 9 March 1933, killed at Dachau 1 July 1934)
• Hans Hayn [r]: (1896-1934) Freikorps, Black Reichswehr, and Fehmemord member, SA-Gruppenführer. NSDAP Reichstag deputy, shot during Night of the Long Knives ^[e] (1896-1934) in Liegnitz, freikorpskämpfer, Black Reichswehr, Fehmemord, SA-Gruppenführer. NSDAP Reichstag deputy. Shot by SS firing squad in Stadelheim Prison, 30 June 1934)
• Edmund Heines [r]: (1897-1934) WW1 German officer, member of Freikorps Rossbach; expelled from SA 1927 for notorious homosexuality but reïnstated by Ernst Roehm as SA-Obergruppenführer for Silesia 1931; NSDAP Reichstag deputy; killed during Night of the Long Knives ^[e] (Born 1897, WW1 Officer, Freikorps Roßbach, Fehmemord, protegé of Gerhard Roßbach + Ernst Röhm, expelled from the SA in 1927 for notorious homosexuality, reïnstated by Röhm as SA-Obergruppenführer in charge of Silesia 1931, NSDAP Reichstag deputy. Shot while in bed with his chauffeur and Lustknabe at Bad Wiesse, 30 June 1934)
• Oskar Heines [r]: (1903-1934) Brother of Edmund Heines , SA-Obersturmbannführer; during the Night of the Long Knives purge, he surrendered to the Gestapo and was immediately killed ^[e] (Brother of Edmund, born 3 February 1903, SA-Obersturmbannführer. Hearing of the attempted “Putsch” he turned himself in to Gestapo headquarters in Breslau, 30 June 1934. Executed immediately)
• Robert Heiser [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 28 November 1904, Reh Ju. KPD,. Executed in Landeshut 1 July 1934)
• Hans Peter von Heydebreck [r]: (1889-1934) SA-Gruppenführer, NSDAP Reichstag deputy, the “Hero of Annaberg”; killed during the Night of the Long Knives ^[e] (1889-1934) in Koslin/Pommern, SA-Gruppenführer, NSDAP Reichstag deputy, the “Hero of Annaberg.”
• Anton von Hohberg unt Buchwald [r]: Add brief definition or description (SS Reiter Und OberTruppführerührer. Shot in the smoking room of his estate by SS troopers on order of his rival Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski
• Edgar Julius Jung [r]: (1894-1934) Journalist and speech writer for Franz von Papen; shot during the Night of the Long Knives ^[e]
• Gustav von Kahr [r]: (1862-1934), Prime Minister of Bavaria at the time of the Beer Hall Putsch; killed in the Night of the Long Knives ^[e]
• Erich Klausener [r]: Member of the German Center Party and Catholic Action, and head of the Prussian Ministerial Police; killed during the Night of the Long Knives ^[e] (Head of Preusischen Ministerie Polizei, Center Party, Catholic Action. Shot by SS-Hauptsturmführer Kurt Gildisch in his office 30 June 1934. Left to bleed to death, he managed to telephone for a priest, but the SS men wouldn’t allow the priest to enter and give Klaussener the Last Rites of the Church)
• Willi Klemm [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 9 March 1892 in Aaken, SA-Brigadeführer in Berlin. Executed 1 July 1934 by SS firing squad in Berlin-Lichterfelde)
• Hans Karl Koch [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 17 October 1897 in Potsdam, SA-Brigadeführer. Executed 1 July 1934 by SS firing squad in Berlin-Lichterfelde)
• Fritz Ritter von Krausser [r]: Add brief definition or description (1888-1934) cavalry officer, Freikorps Epp, SA-Obergruppenführer, protege of Röhm, NSDAP Reichstag deputy. Shot 30 June 1934 at Berlin-Lichterfelde)
• Heinrich Nixdorf [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 19 October 1890, SA Oberst Feldjagerei. Executed in Breslau 30 June 1934)
• Ernst Oberfohren [r]: Add brief definition or description (Nationalist Reichstag Deputy.}} (Possibly spurious, not on official list)
• Adalbert Probst [r]: Add brief definition or description (Catholic youth leader in Munich, former Bavarian Landtag deputy)
• Hans Ramshorn [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA-Brigadeführer, Police president of Gleiwitz, executed 30 June 1934 in Breslau)
• Robert Reh [r]: Add brief definition or description (communist, executed at Landeshut in Silesia, 1 July 1934)
• Ernst Roehm [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Emil Saasbach [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Wilhelm Sander [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA–Brigadeführer, executed 1 July 1934)
• Martin Schätzl [r]: Add brief definition or description (Painter, homosexual associate of Röhm, SA-Standartenführer)
• Kurt von Schleicher [r]: Add brief definition or description
• Wilhelm Schmidt [r]: Add brief definition or description (Music Critic. Mistaken For SA-Gruppenführer Schmid, arrested 30 June 1934 by the SS and killed while in custody. Hess later apologized for the mistake. This is the only documented case of such a mistake, though François-Poncet assures us that there were many)
• Wilhelm Eduard Schmidt [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA-Gruppenführer ,Arrested in Munich, 30 June 1934, by Emil Maurice who shot him later that day)
• August Schneidhüber [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 8 May 1887 in Traunstein, SA-Obergruppenführer, Munich Police Chief, NSDAP Reichstag deputy. Arrested in Munich, 30 June 1934, by Emil Maurice, shot at Stadelheim shortly thereafter)
• Konrad Schragmüller [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA-Gruppenführer, NSDAP Reichstag deputy. Arrested and killed 30 June 1934)
• Walter Schulz [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 2 September 1897, 2 Stabschef der SA Gruppe Pommern. Executed on 1 July 1934)
• Hans Schweighardt [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 12 July 1894, SA-Standartenführer. Executed in Dachau 1 July 1934)
• Emil Sembach [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 2 April 1891, SS Oberführer. Attached to SS headquarters in Silesia, he was expelled for embezzlement in February 1934 and had denounced Kurt Wittje's homosexuality to the Minister of Defence and to the Reichswehr. He then asked Frick for protection. Udo von Woyrsch, who had a personal vendetta against Sembach, discussed the case with Himmler in June and Sembach was arrested the afternoon of 30 June 1934 in Brieg (HQ of SS Oa Sudost) and taken to Oels. On 1 July Sembach was taken into the mountains and shot by a Commando under SS-Hauptsturmführer Paul Exner on Woyrsch' orders OR , drowned in a reservoir near Brieg)
• Hans Graf von Spreti–Weilbach [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA–Standartenführer, SA-Führer zur besonderen Verwendung, protegé of Röhm. Arrested at Bad Wiesse, 30 June 1934, taken to Stadelheim Prison and shot)
• Oskar Stable [r]: Add brief definition or description (Freikorps Maercker, Freikorps Roßbach, NSDAP / NSDStB.}} (Possibly spurious, not on official list))
• Bernhard Stempfle [r]: Add brief definition or description Catholic priest, former associate of Hitler and editor of Mein Kampf; killed during Night of the Long Knives; probably killed because of what he knew about Geli Raubal)
• Gregor Strasser [r]: Add brief definition or description (1892-1934), leftist National Socialist, ally (head of 1925 Political Organization) then rival of Adolf Hitler; WW1 officer, Gauleiter of Niederbayern-Oberpfalz (1925-1929), Reichsorganisationsleiter}} (1929-1932); killed during Night of the Long Knives
• Ottmar Toifl [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 16 July 1898, SS Truppführer u Polizei kommissar. Friend of Daluege. Killed on Heydrich orders in Berlin 1 July 1934. His body was left in an allee of Grunewald)
• Julius Uhl [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA-Standartenführer. Arrested at Bad Wiesse, 30 June 1934, taken to Stadelheim Prison and shot)
• Erwin Villain [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 3 November 1898, SA-Standartenarzt, SA medical officer. Arrested by SS-Hauptsturmführer Kurt Gildisch, executed in Lichterfelde 1 July 1934)
• Max Vogel [r]: Add brief definition or description (Born 18 July 1908, SA-Obersturmführer. Executed in Dachau 1 July 1934)
• Gerd Voss [r]: Add brief definition or description (Attorney to Strasser, shot dead during a search of his office)
• Karl Eberhard von Wechmar [r]: Add brief definition or description (SA-Gruppenführer, executed 30 June 1934)

Survivors

Ernst Beissner (arrested in the Purge, expelled from the SA, though later was Kreisleiter and received the Golden Party Pin)

Leonhardt graf Du Moulin Eckart (Born Jan. 11, 1900, doctor at law, SA, homosexual associate of Röhm, chief of the Nazi Party's information service in the Brown House in 1932. Hid during Blood Purge, arrested afterwards and confined at Dachau. Indicted for procuring and for unnatural sexual intercourse on Oct. 21, 1934, having provided his apartment to Röhm for homosexual activities; acquitted)

Theodore Düsterberg (1895-1950, WW1 officer, Stahlhelm founder, DNVP, Arrested after Blood Purge)

Hermann Ehrhardt (1881-1971, WW1 naval officer, Freikorpsfürher, Kapp Putsch instigator. Upon arrival of the Gestapo, he fled to the woods of his estate with a couple of shot-guns, was later smuggled to Austria by friends, where he lived in exile even after the Anschluss. Erroneously listed among the dead by French Ambassador François-Poncet)

Paul Giesler (Born 15. Jun. 1895 in Siegen. arrested in the Purge, expelled from the SA, though later was Gauleiter of München-Oberbayern (1944 - 1945). Committed Suicide 8 May 1945, at Berchtesgaden, along with his wife)

Alexander Glaser (attorney to Kurt Lüdecke, arrested during Blood Purge)

Hans Elard Ludin (1905-1947, Reichswehr officer 1924-1930, under fortress arrest for Nazi political activities 1930-1931, SA-Obergruppenführer, Leader of SA Group Southwest 1933. Arrested during Blood Purge. Later Minister to Slovakia Jan 1941-1945, convicted by a Czech court in Slovakia, sentenced to death by firing squad. Executed at Bratislava (Pressburg) 9 December 1947)

Gerd Luetgebrune (Attorney to Röhm. Arrested during Blood Purge)

Georges Mappes (Arrested in the Purge, expelled from the SA, though later was NSDAP Orstgruppenleiter he received the Golden Party Pin)

• Franz von Papen [r]: Add brief definition or description

Rolf Reiner (SS-Gruppenführer, arrested but not executed)

Gerhard Roßbach (1893 - 1967, WW1 Veteran, Decorated Officer, Freikorpsführer, Munich Putsch. Arrested during Blood Purge)

Dr. Alfons Sack (Attorney, homosexual associate of Röhm, Heines, and Ernst. Arrested during Blood Purge)

Karl Schreyer (SA-Gruppenführer. Arrested in Berlin and taken to Columbia House. About to be shot at 4AM, 2 July 1934, when the order to stop all executions came from the Führer)

Paul Schulz (Ex-Reichswehr Oberleutnant, associate of Strasser. Deeply anti-Socialist he strove to keep the socialists Strasser and Röhm separated by homophobic baiting Hitler and Strasser. Out of power following the Strasser/Schleicher incident, he had earned Hitler’s enmity by imprudent homophobic statements. Arrested June 30 in Berlin and driven out towards a lonely stretch of woods near Potsdam, he was shot while running away and played dead. When his captors went back to the car for something to wrap the body in, he bolted up and ran off in the woods. To escape dogs, he hid in the waters of the Nuthe stream. He made his way to the house of retired admiral Lübbert where he hid while an amnesty was negotiated with Hitler through a third party)

Gertrude Strasser (Wife of Otto Strasser. Arrested in Berlin, 30 June 1934 by the Gestapo, tortured and held for several weeks, while pending shipment to a concentration camp she escaped to Prague)

Otto Strasser (Born at Geisenfeld in 1897, WW1 officer, freikorpskämpfer, Ex-SPD, NW Arbeitsgemeinschaft, Ex-NSDAP, Black Front leader. Attempted assassination, 30 June 1934, in Vienna)

Gottfried Treviranus (1881-1971, politician, ex-DNVP, founder of People’s Conservative Union, minister in Brüning cabinet. Barely escaped arrest during Blood Purge, exiled to England)

Ernst Udet (1896-1941, SA Air Squadron Führer. Invited to Gauleiter Wagner’s banquet/trap on Munich 30 June 1934, he was the only one to escape from the banquet room, albeit dazed and with a large gash on his forehead, when he ran into Hitler, who told him to leave immediately)

Reprieved by Goering

Rudolf Diels (1900 - 1957. WW1 veteran, lawyer, Prussian police from 1930, Gestapo investigator of the Reichstag fire, protegé of Göring, forced from office by Heydrich and Himmler. Prosecution witness at Nürnberg)

Frederick Wilhelm Viktor August Ernst Hohenzollern , Kronprinz von Preußen (1882 - 1951)