AHC/WI: Röhm's Reich

What it says on the tin.

OTL Ernst Röhm was one of the most senior Nazi's, and possibly the closest to Hitler himself (for example, he was the only one to call him "Adolf" instead of "mein Fuhrer"). Of course, once Hitler ascended to the Chancellery and Röhm started talking up a "Second Revolution", he was marginalized and liquidated during the Night of the Long Knives.

So, using any POD after January 5th, 1931 (when Röhm became the head of the SA), have him, not Hitler, become the leader of Germany. What does a Röhm lead Third Reich look like? Could Röhm even have stayed in power? If WW2 kicks off, how does Röhm fare?
 
What it says on the tin.

OTL Ernst Röhm was one of the most senior Nazi's, and possibly the closest to Hitler himself (for example, he was the only one to call him "Adolf" instead of "mein Fuhrer"). Of course, once Hitler ascended to the Chancellery and Röhm started talking up a "Second Revolution", he was marginalized and liquidated during the Night of the Long Knives.

So, using any POD after January 5th, 1931 (when Röhm became the head of the SA), have him, not Hitler, become the leader of Germany. What does a Röhm lead Third Reich look like? Could Röhm even have stayed in power? If WW2 kicks off, how does Röhm fare?

The army (Reichswehr) wouldnt stand for it, especially in the case of power-by-appointment to the Chancellorship if it occured as per OTL with Hitler. And thats not even mentioning the fact that many would have found his homosexuality detestable.

Rohm would most likely be assassinated by other disaffected parties early into his reign.
 
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In economic sphere Rohm was essentially communist, he was left-wing of Nazi party. Hence he would be opposed not only by army, but also by rich industrialists and aristocrats. They could stomach Hitler who promised to protect them from Bolshheviks, but would not put up with Rohm, who wanted to expropriate them just the same.
With enemies of Rohm being both armed forces and financial-political elites, its hard to imagine him coming to power or staying with it long.
 
The problem with Röhm was that besides his openly-declared homosexuality, he wasn't really popular with many aspects of the German government and society. If he was voted into power, his grasp would be even more fickle than Hitler's ever was until the Second World War. Sure, perhaps his message would make him popular with disaffected lower-class individuals - the populist socio-economic message combined with an appeal to nationalistic fervour would certainly increase his appeal, and could give him stronger reach to such people through the SA. But he lacked the backing of the military and the business establishment, who Hitler did compromise with and put within the Nazis's grasp. Furthermore, even though he was a close confidant of Hitler until the leadup to the Night of the Long Knives, he was perceived as an upstart by much of the NSDAP.

The thing with Hitler is that he was a more motivational leader whose position was well-entrenched within the Nazi establishment. I don't necessarily subscribe to intentionalist historiography without putting functionalism into consideration, but the early 1930s were crucial for the Nazis's position because offing Hitler would have created a power struggle that could have made or broken the NSDAP's power and it's ability to form government. The socio-economic factors of the Great Depression and surging German nationalism did give Hitler a clear window of opportunity to exploit in his quest to becoming dictator. It's hard to say whether Röhm would have done the same, and/or if his image would have been as clear since his more tenuous and polarising position and sexual identity would diminish the public perception of him as a "strong-man" ready to lead Germany back to greatness like they saw Hitler.

Perhaps it would take a Kapp Putsch-style event to get him into power, since he would have the SA to purge his enemies and enforce control. But the Army, left-wing and democratic establishments would almost certainly launch a counter-coup to take him down.
 
Yep Rohms leftist philosophy would lose the middle and upper class support that got Hitlers version of the nazis into power. To gain power electorially Rohm would need to bring in the other leftist parties either through a coalition or poaching their membership. Either way this is almost guaranted to result in a coup when the middle class and wealthy panic and demand the army do something. It is unlikely to be a swift & decisive coup. Rohm & the senior nazi leaders might be eliminated imeadiatly, but the nazis, Communists, ect... will at least riot & probablly attempt a counter revolt. The violence of internal civil war could drag on for months, maybe over a year.

The whole affair leaves Germany weaker for some years. Particularly if the new government is unable to quiet the disaffected portions of the working and impoverished classes. The middle class is liable to be very strict about its protection as well. Rearmament from 1934-1939 is not going to occur as in OTL. While the army would ned larger and stonger its not going to possess a panzerwaffe of 3,000 tanks, 4,000 new cannon, or the support of 2,500 new aircraft.

Eventually ther emay be a opportunity to renegotiate the Versailles Treaty. After the Popular Front loses power in France the idea of 'assisting' a conservative government of Germany through removing the worst of the economic penalties of the treaty might occur. No guarantee, but it possible.
 
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