WI: Röhm dies of Spanish Flu

[Night Gaul]

There have been countless "what if Hitler at [point X in his life]" threads. So I decided to do something a little different: talk about another prominent Nazi's near-death experience.

In 1918, Hauptmann Ernst Röhm contracted the deadly Spanish flu and was not expected to make it. But he managed to pull through, and would go on to play a major role in the growth and ascendancy of the Nazi Party, with horrific and tragic consequences.

What if he had succumbed to the disease?

 

[Mort the Reaper]

Good question. Would there be any OTL figures that could "substitute" for Röhm?

 

[overoceans]

The Nazi party loses its socialist faction, thus depriving Ayn Randoids of one of their major soundbites.

 

[Kurt_Steiner]

No Röhm, no Völkischer Beobachter, and perhaps a very small Beer Hall Putsch.

 

[Mort the Reaper]

The Nazi party loses its socialist faction, thus depriving Ayn Randoids of one of their major soundbites.

I wonder if the "gay fascism" myth would also be less prevalent.

 

[James Ricker]

Hitler might just die in prison it was Röhn who was able to get him released early through legal and other questionable means after the failed beer hall pusch.
Then again without Röhn leading the SA the Nazis may have gotten their asses kicked in the street battles that characterized 1920s German politics.

 

[James Ricker]

Good question. Would there be any OTL figures that could "substitute" for Röhm?

Many people are possible to substitute for him but none were able to do the job as good as he did.

 

[overoceans]

I wonder if the "gay fascism" myth would also be less prevalent.

We can only hope.

Interestingly, in Fascinating Fascism, Susan Sontag said that it was the SS whose aesthetic most clearly epitomized the sexual aspects of fascism, and contrasted that with the more asexual style of Rohm's SA.

 

[Persephone]

The Nazi party loses its socialist faction, thus depriving Ayn Randoids of one of their major soundbites.

Not strictly true. Röhm dying would cause the socialist faction to lose one of their key members, but there'd still be the Strassers and Goebbels (at least, before 1924-1925, if it follows along with OTL) to carry the torch. Though you could argue that the socialist faction would be greatly reduced without Röhm leading the SA, if the SA even comes into existence.

I wonder if the "gay fascism" myth would also be less prevalent.

We can only hope.

Interestingly, in Fascinating Fascism, Susan Sontag said that it was the SS whose aesthetic most clearly epitomized the sexual aspects of fascism, and contrasted that with the more asexual style of Rohm's SA.

Without Röhm, it would most likely be reduced, if not outright butterflied away, since he was the most high profile gay Nazi official and the one prominently attacked for his sexuality. As for the differences in aesthetic, I'd argue that the key reason for that was due to Röhm's hypermasculine and militaristic worldview more than anything else.

 

[Mort the Reaper]

Röhm dying would cause the socialist faction to lose one of their key members, but there'd still be the Strassers and Goebbels (at least, before 1924-1925, if it follows along with OTL) to carry the torch.

Goebbels only joined the Nazi Party after the Beer Hall Putsch, which may be butterflied away by Röhm's absence.

 

[Resurgam]

Related question: did any other prominent Nazis have the disease?

 

[overoceans]

Not strictly true. Röhm dying would cause the socialist faction to lose one of their key members, but there'd still be the Strassers and Goebbels (at least, before 1924-1925, if it follows along with OTL) to carry the torch. Though you could argue that the socialist faction would be greatly reduced without Röhm leading the SA, if the SA even comes into existence.

Oh, quite possibly. I was more just making a joke about how Randoids can't shut up about how anyone who isn't a 100% free-market capitalist is exactly the same as the Nazis.

 

[Mort the Reaper]

Related question: did any other prominent Nazis have the disease?

Odds are at least one other did, though I can't say I know any examples.

 

[Resurgam]

Odds are at least one other did, though I can't say I know any examples.

I'm sure of it, I just realized I never thought about it before, who among the future inner circles may have been infected.

 

[Persephone]

Goebbels only joined the Nazi Party after the Beer Hall Putsch, which may be butterflied away by Röhm's absence.

Good point, I forgot about that.

 

[What if]

I'm not sure the Beer Hall Putch occurs and the Nazi's might even end up being a footnote in German history. As in the early 1920's the only other thing making the Nazi's standout, other than Hitler's alleged public speaking skills, was how Röhn organised the SA. If that is taken away then its harder for people like Ludendorff to be attracted to them.

If they do attempt the Beer Hall Putch then I expect it to go significantly worse than OTL.