Ernst Röhm (1887–1934) was a German military officer and Nazi Party leader who organized and led the Sturmabteilung (SA,) the party’s paramilitary wing. A close ally of Adolf Hitler, he was later executed during the Night of the Long Knives.
Born in Munich, Germany, Röhm joined the Royal Bavarian Army in 1906, serving in World War I. He was wounded three times and awarded the Iron Cross First Class. After the war, he became involved in right-wing paramilitary groups, helping build the SA, which aided Hitler’s rise to power.
Appointed SA Chief of Staff in 1931, Röhm expanded its influence. However, his push for greater military control and open homosexuality led to tensions with Hitler. In June 1934, during the Night of the Long Knives, he was arrested and executed.
His writings include Die Geschichte eines Hochverräters (1928,) his autobiographical account, and The Memoirs of Ernst Röhm (2012,) an English translation of his reflections on Nazi politics. Eleanor Hancock’s Ernst Röhm: Hitler’s SA Chief of Staff (2008) examines his political ambitions, military leadership, and downfall.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Ernst Rohm
All revolutions devour their own children.
—Ernst Rohm
Topics: Revolutionaries, Revolutions, Revolution
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