Night of the Long Knives by Nikolai Tolstoy (Illustrated)

Nikolai Tolstoy’s “Night of the Long Knives” explores a chilling chapter in Nazi Germany’s history: the ruthless purge known as the Night of the Long Knives or the Röhm Putsch. The book delves into the meticulous details of June 30th, 1934, and the following 48 hours, a period marked by the brutal elimination of rivals perceived as threats to Adolf Hitler’s absolute power.

Tolstoy dissects the event not just through the lens of Hitler and Ernst Röhm, the leader of the Sturmabteilung (SA) or Brownshirts, but also examines the roles of key figures like Heinrich Himmler and the SS, who emerged strengthened after the purge. He explores the simmering tensions and motives behind the event, including the growing rivalry between the SA and the SS, as well as anxieties surrounding Röhm’s ambitions and potential disloyalty.

“Night of the Long Knives” portrays this dark episode as a critical turning point for Nazi Germany. It solidified Hitler’s absolute control within the party and cast a long shadow, foreshadowing the horrific brutality of the Holocaust to come. The book also raises questions about the justifications for the purge and the true extent of the threat posed by the SA.