Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

THE BLOOD PURGE 747night, in which he submitted to him the complaints gathered by Hessand Buch, demanded the liquidation of his male harem, and, moregenerally, a complete change in his system o£ leadership. From Hitler'ssubsequent explanations, it appears that Rohm refused to be intimidated,that he contradicted him stubbornly, and that his attitude was notrespectful. Probably the conversation went far beyond the points Hitlermentions; Hitler must have demanded that Rohm show greatercomplaisance with regard to the Reichswehr and discussed with him thegrave dangers created by Hindenburg's imminent death. Rohm mayhave replied that this very fact offered the historical opportunity forwhich the S.A. had been built through long years of work; but Hitler'sconviction that he could achieve supreme power only with the help ofthe Reichswehr was unshakable.From that moment on the fate of the S.A. and their leaders was sealedfrom an historical point of view; Hitler had to separate himself fromthem, 'trample them to dust,' if he were to become supreme chief of theReich. Rohm was suddenly isolated, his entourage of followers,advocates, and companions quickly disintegrated; Goebbels andHimmler, who only recendy had called for a new revolution or thecontinuation of the old one, grew silent. On June 7, Rohm took afurlough which was certainly a real sick-leave; he went for treatment toWiessee in Upper Bavaria, where he lived in the 'Hanslbauer'sanatorium; Heines, too, went there, to restore his apparently failinghealth. Rohm could prove that he had really put himself in the hands ofphysicians; but obviously Hitler had insisted that he disappear fromBerlin for some time. Before leaving, Rohm wrote a farewell messageto the S.A. announcing that his S.A. men should take a four weeks'furlough on July 1; as for the 'enemies of the S.A.,' who circulated therumor that this meant the disbandment of the brown army, 'they wouldbe given a suitable answer in due time and in whatever form isnecessary.' This warning was followed by an equally threateningconcluding sentence: 'The S.A. is and remains Germany's destiny.'There was no 'Heil Hitler'; the Fuhrer was not mentioned at all.Hitler was in a difficult position, made even more difficult by Rohm.His Austrian policy was being criticized with increasing