Ernst Röhm

Ernst was a soldier in Germany.

He fought in a big war. He was hurt many times.

Later, he joined a group called the Nazi Party. He was a close friend to Hitler. He helped lead a large group called the SA. This group had over a million members.

He even lived in a land called Bolivia for a time. He worked as a teacher there.

He later went back to Germany. He became a very high leader. But he and Hitler had many fights.

Things became very bad for him. He died in a prison long ago. History shows how leaders can change.

Ernst Röhm was a German soldier and a leader. He fought in the First World War. He was wounded three times during the war.

After the war, Röhm joined the Nazi Party. He became a close friend of Adolf Hitler. Röhm helped build a large group called the SA. The SA was a group of many members who used force.

In 1923, he helped in a failed plan to take power. This was called the Beer Hall Putsch.

Röhm left Germany for a while. He went to a place called Bolivia. He worked as an advisor to their army.

In 1930, Hitler asked him to come back. Röhm became the leader of the SA. The group grew to over one million members. He used the group to fight against many people.

Soon, Hitler and Röhm had many fights. Hitler felt that Röhm was a threat. In 1934, Hitler ordered the SS to stop him. This event was called the Night of the Long Knives. Röhm was killed in a prison on July 1, 1934.

Ernst Röhm was a German military officer and a major leader in the Nazi Party. He was born in Munich in 1887. His father, Julius, was a railway official who was quite strict. Ernst joined the Royal Bavarian Army as a cadet in 1906. He became a lieutenant in 1908. He was a very brave soldier during the First World War. He was wounded in action three different times. He even received the Iron Cross First Class for his service.

After the Great War ended, Röhm stayed in the military as a captain. In 1919, he joined the German Workers' Party. This group later became the Nazi Party. He met Adolf Hitler and they became close friends and allies. Röhm used his military skills to help build many paramilitary groups. These were organized groups of people who used force to help the party. One of these groups became known as the SA.

In 1923, he led a group of 2,000 men during the Beer Hall Putsch. This was a failed attempt to take over the government in Munich. Because of this, he was given a suspended prison sentence.

Things changed for Röhm in 1925. He and Hitler disagreed about the future of the party. Röhm resigned from his jobs and moved to Bolivia.

He worked there as an advisor to the Bolivian Army. He lived in La Paz and taught at a military college. He stayed in Bolivia until 1930. That was when Hitler asked him to return to Germany. Röhm came back to serve as the chief of staff for the SA.

As the leader of the SA, Röhm grew the group very large. It eventually had over one million members. The SA was used to fight against communists and other groups.

After Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, Röhm held a very high rank. He was also part of the Reich cabinet. However, tension began to grow between the two old friends. Röhm wanted a "second revolution" to change German society. This made Hitler's industrial allies very worried. It also made the SS feel threatened by the SA.

By 1934, Hitler saw Röhm as a rival. He decided to eliminate him with help from SS leaders.

This happened during an event called the Night of the Long Knives. On June 30, 1934, the SS removed the SA leadership. Röhm was taken to Stadelheim Prison in Munich. He was shot there on July 1, 1934. This ended his role in the Nazi Party and his life. His story shows how even close allies can become enemies in politics.

Ernst Röhm was a prominent German military officer and a high-ranking political leader in the Nazi Party. He played a vital role in building the party's paramilitary strength. This strength helped Adolf Hitler rise to power in Germany. Röhm was a close ally of Hitler for many years. However, their relationship eventually ended in a violent political purge. His life reflects the complex and often dangerous nature of early 20th-century German politics.

Born in Munich in 1887, Röhm grew up in the German Empire. His father, Julius Röhm, was a strict railway official. Despite this strictness, Ernst enjoyed significant freedom to follow his interests. He joined the Royal Bavarian 10th Infantry Regiment as a cadet in 1906. He received his commission as a lieutenant in March 1908. During the First World War, he served as an adjutant. He was wounded in the face at Chanot Wood in 1914. He also sustained a serious chest wound at Verdun in 1916. These experiences shaped his reputation as a brave, if sometimes reckless, soldier.

After the war ended in 1918, Röhm continued his military career. He served as a captain in the Reichswehr, the German army. In 1919, he joined the German Workers' Party, which later became the Nazi Party. He soon met Adolf Hitler, and the two became close political associates. Röhm used his military connections to help build various paramilitary groups. One major group was the Sturmabteilung, commonly known as the SA.

In 1923, Röhm led nearly 2,000 men during the Beer Hall Putsch. This was a failed attempt to seize power in Munich. Following the failure, Röhm was tried for high treason in 1924. He received a suspended prison sentence and was placed on probation.

In 1925, Röhm disagreed with Hitler regarding the party's future direction. He felt the party should not follow a strictly legal path. Because of this disagreement, he resigned from his political positions. He emigrated to Bolivia in 1928 to serve as a military advisor. He worked at the Bolivian military college in La Paz. He also served as a troop inspector and a chief of staff. He lived in Bolivia until 1930, when Hitler requested his return.

Röhm returned to Germany to serve as the SA's chief of staff.

Upon his return, Röhm reorganized the SA into a massive force. By his leadership, the SA grew to over one million members. He created a new structure called a Gruppe. These groups were large and answered only to him or Hitler. The SA engaged in frequent political violence against various groups. This included fighting against communists and other political rivals. While the SA helped Hitler gain power, its size and radicalism caused concern. After Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, Röhm was named a Gauleiter. This was the second highest political rank in the Nazi Party.

Tensions between Röhm and Hitler grew rapidly during 1933 and 1934. Röhm began calling for a "second revolution" to transform German society. This radical rhetoric alarmed Hitler's powerful industrial allies. Furthermore, Röhm demanded more power for the SA. This created a direct conflict with the Schutzstaffel, or SS. The SS saw the massive SA as a threat to their own influence. Hitler eventually viewed his long-time friend as a dangerous rival. He decided that Röhm had to be eliminated to consolidate control.

Hitler acted with the help of SS leaders Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich. This violent event is known as the Night of the Long Knives. On June 30, 1934, the SS purged the entire SA leadership. Röhm was arrested and taken to Stadelheim Prison in Munich. He was shot on July 1, 1934. This event allowed Hitler to secure his absolute authority. It also signaled the end of the SA's influence within the government. Röhm's death marked a turning point in how the Nazi regime maintained power through internal purges.