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[[File:362px-Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1982-159-21A, Nürnberg, Reichsparteitag, Hitler und Röhm.jpg|thumb|[[Adolf Hitler]] with Ernst Röhm.]]

[[File:362px-Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1982-159-21A, Nürnberg, Reichsparteitag, Hitler und Röhm.jpg|thumb|[[Adolf Hitler]] with Ernst Röhm.]]

'''Ernst Röhm''' (November 28, 1887-July 1, 1934) - was a friend of [[Adolf Hitler]] and an early member of the [[Nazi Party]]. He was co-founder of and later became Supreme Commander of the ''Sturmabteilung'' ("Storm Battalion") or [[SA]].<ref>The SA was also known as ("brownshirts") in reference to the color of their uniforms.</ref> He was also one of the many homosexuals who made up the higher echelons of the Nazis.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref>

'''Ernst Röhm''' (November 28, 1887-July 1, 1934) - was a friend of [[Adolf Hitler]] and an early member of the [[Nazi Party]]. He was co-founder of and later became Supreme Commander of the ''Sturmabteilung'' ("Storm Battalion") or [[SA]].<ref>The SA was also known as ("brownshirts") in reference to the color of their uniforms.</ref> He was also one of the many [[homosexual]]s who made up the higher echelons of the Nazis.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref>

Röhm had been in the military since 1906. During [[World War I]] he was twice wounded in combat and later was awarded the Iron Cross First Class. After World War I he was a member of the Socalist terror organization known as the Iron Fist. In 1919, Röhm joined the German Workers' Party, which soon became known as the ''Nationalsozialistche Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' (National Socialist German Worker's Party - Nazi Party).<ref>Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler: A Biography'' (2008).</ref> Many of the first party meetings took place in a beer hall that catered to homosexuals, the Bratwurstgloeckl.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref>

Röhm had been in the military since 1906. During [[World War I]] he was twice wounded in combat and later was awarded the Iron Cross First Class. After World War I he was a member of the Socalist terror organization known as the Iron Fist. In 1919, Röhm joined the German Workers' Party, which soon became known as the ''Nationalsozialistche Deutsche Arbeiterpartei'' ([[National Socialist German Worker's Party]] - Nazi Party).<ref>Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler: A Biography'' (2008).</ref> Many of the first party meetings took place in a beer hall that catered to homosexuals, the Bratwurstgloeckl.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref>

Röhm also formed a para-military nationalist group known as the ''Reichskriegsflagge'' (Imperial War Flag). In November 1923, the ''Reichskriegsflagge'', in which [[Heinrich Himmler]] was a member, joined with the Nazi Party in the [[Beer Hall Putsch]]—the unsuccessful attempt by Hitler to seize power in Munich. In the aftermath, Röhm, Hitler and several others were tried, and convicted of treason.<ref>Weale, Adrian. ''The SS: A New History'' (2010).</ref> However, Röhm's sentence was suspended. In 1927, German Communists leaked some of Röhm's letters which revealed his sexuality to the public and caused some loss of popularity for the Nazis at that time.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref>

Röhm also formed a para-military [[nationalist]] group known as the ''Reichskriegsflagge'' (Imperial War Flag). In November 1923, the ''Reichskriegsflagge'', in which [[Heinrich Himmler]] was a member, joined with the Nazi Party in the [[Beer Hall Putsch]]—the unsuccessful attempt by Hitler to seize power in Munich. In the aftermath, Röhm, Hitler and several others were tried, and convicted of treason.<ref>Weale, Adrian. ''The SS: A New History'' (2010).</ref> However, Röhm's sentence was suspended. In 1927, German Communists leaked some of Röhm's letters which revealed his sexuality to the public and caused some loss of popularity for the Nazis at that time.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref>

During the early 1930s, Röhm's SA, with 2.9 million members, was a much larger and more powerful part of the Nazi Party than Himmler's [[SS]] ("blackshirts"). That suddenly changed in June 1934 as a result of a power struggle between the SA, which had a more radical vision than Hitler would tolerate, and a coalition of Himmler, [[Hermann Göring]], the army and big business. The army feared the SA would absorb it into its ranks; which is what Röhm wanted to do. Himmler and [[Reinhard Heydrich]] prepared the list of Röhm's SA associates who were executed or imprisoned in the "[[Night of the Long Knives]]" which took place between June 30 and July 2, 1934.<ref>Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler: A Biography'' (2008).</ref> Hitler had Röhm killed as well, for fear that he would be a rival in the near future.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref> Himmler and his SS gained enormously from the killings; the SS became its own branch and Himmler reported only to Hitler.<ref>Weale, Adrian. ''The SS: A New History'' (2010).</ref>

During the early 1930s, Röhm's SA, with 2.9 million members, was a much larger and more powerful part of the Nazi Party than Himmler's [[SS]] ("blackshirts"). That suddenly changed in June 1934 as a result of a power struggle between the SA, which had a more radical vision than Hitler would tolerate, and a coalition of Himmler, [[Hermann Göring]], the army and [[big business]] (see [[Military industrial complex]]). The army feared the SA would absorb it into its ranks; which is what Röhm wanted to do. Himmler and [[Reinhard Heydrich]] prepared the list of Röhm's SA associates who were executed or imprisoned in the "[[Night of the Long Knives]]" which took place between June 30 and July 2, 1934.<ref>Kershaw, Ian. ''Hitler: A Biography'' (2008).</ref> Hitler had Röhm killed as well, for fear that he would be a rival in the near future.<ref>Lively, Scott & Abrams, Kevin. ''The Pink Swastika: Homosexuality in the Nazi Party'', 4th Edition.</ref> Himmler and his SS gained enormously from the killings; the SS became its own branch and Himmler reported only to Hitler.<ref>Weale, Adrian. ''The SS: A New History'' (2010).</ref>

== Notes & sources ==

== Notes & sources ==

[[Category:Nazis]]

[[Category:Nazis]]