Röhm becomes SA chief

On 5 January 1931 Adolf Hitler again calls on Ernst Röhm to be chief of staff of the „Sturmabteilung“ (SA). Röhm had resigned his office in 1925 after differences with the „Führer“ of the National Socialists. In contrast to Hitler, who intends to gain power by legal means  – with a march through parliament –  Röhm favours a much more radical course of action.

© Giltner Adherent from the beginning: Röhm (right) with Hitler and Ludendorff, 1923

Consisting of 70,000 men by this time, the SA under Röhm’s leadership will grow into a militarily organised mass movement of 400,000 members by the time the Nazis „seize power“ in 1933.