The Nazis' rise to power: The Night of the long knives

In 1933, Hitler and the Nazis gain almost complete control over Germany. Now there is only one political party, all others have been banned. The Nazis also control the German radio and newspapers, and they decide what is allowed to be broadcast or written - they enforce state censorship. They forbid all books written by Jewish writers. And also, books by many others, such as Ernest Hemingway and Oscar Wilde, are forbidden.

The Nazis believe that all literature should support National Socialism. Anything else could be bad for the German people and the German Empire. The ban also applies to many films and plays, and even music. But the Nazis are not content with just banning literature. In May 1933, Nazi student associations begin to burn books.

With the help of the SA, they clear the libraries of literature. Large bonfires are organised in university cities all over Germany. Books written by Jews or any books considered harmful - are burned. At one of the book burnings, in Berlin, propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels talks to forty thousand spectators. He praises the students who are burning books, saying: "The era of extreme Jewish intellectualism has come to an end.” In Germany's streets, Hitler's stormtroopers - the SA - are visible everywhere.

From being a small group that protected Nazi meetings and sabotaged the other parties, the SA has now grown and has two million members. The stormtroopers are larger than the whole of Germany's armed forces, which only consists of a hundred thousand soldiers. The SA terrorizes and beats up Jews and political opponents. The stormtroopers make sure that any Jews on the busses get up and give their seats to those who are classed as "Aryan" Germans. New laws mean that Jews can no longer work in certain professions.

Jews are not even allowed to participate in sports clubs or swim in public bathing areas. The SA makes sure that these laws are enforced. But no laws seem to apply to the SA themselves. They can do whatever they want, without being charged for damage, assault, or murder. But eventually, the SA becomes a problem for Hitler.

Their brutal violence not only scares Jews, but also many other Germans. The army generals are afraid of the military power that the SA could gain. And business owners are afraid that the SA's leader, Ernst Röhm wants to seize their companies and nationalize them. And they are right. Röhm does want to replace Germany's army with his SA soldiers, and he wants to nationalise companies.

Hitler knows that if he is to stay in power, he needs the support of the army and the business leaders, who can help him with money. Generals from the army, and aviation minister Hermann Göring complain to Hitler, and want him to dissolve the SA. Hitler is hesitant. Ernst Röhm is one of Hitler's oldest friends, and has helped him come to power. But nothing gets in the way of total power.

Hitler finds a solution. On June 30, 1934, Hitler sends his new personal bodyguard force - Schutzstaffel, known as the SS - to arrest and murder the head of the SA, Ernst Röhm. Hitler accuses the SA of an attempted revolution, and executes at least 90 major SA leaders. The event is called "the night of the long knives". The SA is dissolved.

Some Germans rejoice that the SA is annihilated, while others are terrified by the violence Hitler uses against those who helped him to power. One thing becomes very clear to the Germans and the world: Hitler does not hesitate to use extreme violence and murder to achieve his goals. In August 1934, the German president Paul von Hindenburg dies. So Hitler is in a position to merge the posts of president and chancellor, and is called "the Fuehrer - the leader". Hitler is not only the country's leader, but is also the highest commander of the German military.

Thirteen years after Hitler became party leader of a small political party, he has complete power over Germany!