1. What does this tell us about Hitler’s road to Power?
What is happening here?
What does this tell us about Hitler’s road to Power?
These men are German Army Soldiers (Not SA or SS as students may think). They are taking the Fuhrer Oath (Oath of Loyalty) that all soldiers were required to take after the death of President Hindenburg. This is the final step in Hitler assuming all control. The oath is taken over the Nazi (swastika) flag. It tells us that Hitler has successfully removed all opposition and completed his road to Dictatorship.

2. The Big Picture: The Nazis in Power
Key Vocabulary
Chancellor
Fuhrer
Opposition
Resistance
Police State
Censorship
Propaganda
Today we can tick off
our first key question!
Know how the Nazis consolidated their power with methods of control
THE NAZIS IN POWER
Recap of the overall big picture from lesson 1.
How did Hitler become Chancellor then Fuhrer by 1934 .
Know why there was opposition and resistance to the Nazi Government

3. Today’s Lesson The Night of the Long Knives Key Vocabulary Opposition
The SA
The SS
Revolution
Purge
The Night of the Long Knives
Understand how the Night of the Long Knives removed the SA threat and helped Hitler on his road to power
Today’s lesson title and objectives. Needs to be recorded by students.
Know why Ernst Rohm and the SA became a problem for Hitler .
Identify and explain the final steps in Hitler’s road to Dictatorship

4. You will need your road to Dictatorship worksheet!
Students will need this worksheet from last lesson to complete the final steps in Hitler’s road to power. They should already have steps 1 and 2 complete, and they complete steps 3, 4 and 5 during this lesson.

5. Night of the Long Knives – video task
Understand how the Night of the Long Knives removed the SA threat and helped Hitler on his road to power
Watch this short clip which provides an overview of the aims for the Night of the Long Knives.
Answer the 6 questions on the worksheet you have been given. You will self mark these once the video has finished.
Use the YouTube link at the bottom of the slide for the video. Video question task sheets are saved in the lesson folder. The video provides a brief overview of the aims of the NOLK. There are 6 questions that students need to answer during the 4 and a half minute video.

6. Night of the Long Knives – video task
Check and mark your own answers (including spellings). Make sure you add any missing answers and correct any incorrect ones:
30th June 1934
48 hours (2 days)
The SS and The Gestapo
At Nazi Head Quarters in Munich
Rudolf Hess, Joseph Goebbels, Martin Bormann
Hermann Goering, Heinrich Himmler, Reinhard Heydrich
Answers to the video task questions.

7. Why was Ernst Röhm the main target of the purge?

8. Ernst Röhm – friend or foe?
Ernst Rohm was the leader of the SA. He had joined the Nazis during their early years and by 1934 the SA had grown to be an organisation of nearly 2 million men.
The SA were well known as ‘thugs’ – and whilst this had suited Hitler in his early years, their violent and out of control methods became a hindrance once Hitler decided to establish control through legal methods.
More importantly, Rohm wanted to merge the SA with the German Army, and for the Nazis to seize power through a second revolution.

9. Why couldn’t the SA join the German Army?
Although Hitler had successfully removed most of his opposition using his emergency powers and Enabling Act, he couldn’t use either of these to remove the final threat from within his own party.
Ernst Rohm’s desire for a second revolution and a merge with the Army was a real threat to Hitler.
The Army still swore allegiance to President Hindenburg and the Weimar Republic – NOT Hitler. If the SA merged with the Army they could be used AGAINST him in the future. Moreover, the Army could still be used against him should Rohm go ahead with plans for a revolution.
It was a risk that Hitler couldn’t take – Rohm needed to be removed. Rohm was also a well known homosexual; which threatened to tarnish the image of the Nazi party.

10. Winner winner, chicken dinner!
The purge against Rohm and the SA also suited Heinrich Himmler, who was leader of the SS.
Himmler (a former chicken farmer! – hence the title!) had long favoured a move for the SS to supersede the SA. The purge presented him with the perfect opportunity to remove Rohm and other leading SA members, and prove his own loyalty to Hitler.
Hitler arranged a meeting with Rohm and another 100 SA leaders at a hotel in Bad Wiessee (in Bavaria). They were arrested by members of the SS and taken to Munich, where they were shot.

11. SA, SS – what’s the difference?
The SA (Sturm Abteilung /Stormtroopers)
Nickname: The Brown-shirts (see uniform)
A militia group that were used particularly in the early years of the Nazi Party to disrupt the meetings of other parties and intimidate opponents.
The SS (Schultz-Staffel /Protection Squad.
Nickname: The Black-shirts (see uniform)
Established originally to oversee Hitler’s personal protection (bodyguard).

12. Results of the purge:
Having used the excuse that the SA were planning a revolution against the Government, Hitler and his henchmen successfully removed all opposition from within their own party, including the SA.
The Night of the Long Knives successfully saw the demise of the SA and the rise to prominence of the SS (exactly as Himmler had hoped).
Aside from the SA, other “enemies” within the party and in some from outside it were removed. Gregor Strasser (who had once tried to make a deal to become Vice Chancellor to prevent Hitler moving into office) and General Von Schleicher were also removed.
This step is considered by many to be the big final hurdle in Hitler achieving his Dictatorship. Although he still had Hindenburg and the Army in his way!
Students need to complete Step 3: The Night of the Long Knives on their road to power worksheets. Remind students that they need to summarise in approx 25 words. You might want to up the word limit slightly for this step.

13. The next few slides prepare students for a 4 mark question – analysing what can be learnt from the cartoon about the events on the Night of the Long Knives.

14. Who are shown in the centre of the cartoon?
This is the SA. The hold their hands up in the surrender position, which symbolises their submission to Hitler and the SS. It is evident that they are no longer a threat – they are unarmed.
Who are shown in the centre of the cartoon?
How have they been portrayed?
Who are shown in the centre of the cartoon?
How have they been portrayed?

15. Again, this refers to the arms being in a position of surrender
Again, this refers to the arms being in a position of surrender. The joke is on the Nazi one armed salute – the usual sign that people are loyal/support Hitler. This double armed salute represents their new found forced loyalty under threat.
Can you explain the cartoon caption: ‘They Salute with Both Hands Now’’?
What is the joke?

16. Describe the appearance of Hitler, Goebbels and Goering.
Hitler is shown holding a smoking gun, symbolising his role in the purge. Whilst Hitler did not murder anyone during the event nothing took place without his orders. In effect he pulled the trigger if not physically. His posture as an almost hunchback figure shows his uncouthness.
Goering is shown as a Viking, symbolising his brutality and uncouth nature. Viking reputation for pillaging.
Goebbels is shown as a coward, cowering between Hitler’s legs. Goebbels was often the ‘brains’ rather than ‘brawn’.
Describe the appearance of Hitler, Goebbels and Goering.
What point is Low, the cartoonist, trying to make?

17. What is written upon Hitler’s armband?
“The double cross”
The more literal meaning of this is a reference to the swastika – which is in effect a double cross.
However, in the context of this source it refers to Hitler’s “double cross” by betraying Rohm and the SA – who had always been loyal to Hitler despite their desire to join the Army and oversee a second revolution.
What is written upon Hitler’s armband?
What do you think is meant by this?

18. What has been discarded on the floor?
“Hitler’s unkept promises” – this torn paper represents Hitler’s discard for previous promises he had made to Rohm and the SA.
In the early 1920s before his time in prison for the Munich Putsch, Hitler had promised Rohm a merger with the Army and a revolution to seize power in Berlin.
What has been discarded on the floor?
What do you think is meant by this?

19. What has happened to the people in the foreground?
The boots match those of the SA – therefore the dead soldiers at the forefront of the picture are SA, most probably leaders.
The cartoonist is suggesting Hitler’s guilt here – the smoking gun indicates that it has recently been fired.
What has happened to the people in the foreground?
According to the cartoonist who seems most
likely to be responsible for this?

20. Who are the people surrounding the scene?
It is clear that these people are wearing military uniform (boots etc). These people are SS. Their presence is significant because it represents how the SS have now superseded the SA.
Who are the people surrounding the scene?
Why is their presence so significant?

21. What can you learn from the source about the events of
4 mark question. Mark scheme on next slide. Students can self/peer mark if time.
What can you learn from the source about the events of
The Night of the Long Knives? (4 marks)

22. Level/Mark Success Criteria Level 1 (1-2 marks) Level 2 (3-4 marks)
What can you learn from the source about the events of The Night of the Long Knives? (4 marks)
Level/Mark
Success Criteria
Level 1
(1-2 marks)
I described what I could see in the source; E.g. Hitler is seen holding a smoking gun. OR
I described the events of the Night of the Long knives with NO reference to the source; E.g. The SA were purged and Rohm was murdered
(1 mark per valid point – max 2 marks)
Level 2
(3-4 marks)
I made inferences about the events of the Night of the Long Knives and provided supporting evidence from the source; E.g. Hitler ordered the murder of Rohm and other key SA leaders, this is evidenced by the fact that Hitler is holding a smoking gun.
(2 inferences with supporting evidence needed for 4 marks. At 3 marks there may only be one, or weighting between inference and evidence is one sided).

23. Hitler’s final steps to power
On 2nd August 1934 Hitler completed his road to Dictatorship. President Hindenburg died and Hitler used the Enabling Act to make himself President as well as Chancellor in a role he labelled Fuhrer (Supreme leader).
The following day Hitler had the Army swear the Fuhrer Oath, or ‘Oath of Loyalty’ to him. This meant that the Army now took their command from Hitler and could no longer be used against him or to remove him from power. This was the final piece in the jigsaw and confirmed Hitler’s position as a dictator (Fuhrer).
Students need to complete step 4 and 5 of their road to power worksheet. Step 4: The death of Hindenburg, Step 5: The Army oath of loyalty.

24. Why did Hitler become Dictator in August 1934?
What he did
Chance/Luck

25. Marking Books Is it well presented? 1-5 Time been spent on it? 1-5
DOWNER included? 1-10
Aesthetically pleasing? 1-5
Allegory understood? 1-5
A story which can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning.

26. Plenary: This can be done through any method you see fit so long as TILT time is built in to the last part of the lesson.
Today I learnt that….?