Kurt von Schleicher

In a seeming act of jealousy Hitler kicks Gregor Strasser out of the Nazi Party. Strasser was offered a cabinet position (something that would normally be given to the party leader i.e. Hitler) by then chancellor von Schleicher. This was an intentional move by the chancellor to destabilize the Nazi Party.

Led by von Schleicher’s un-witting step-daughter five SS men were taken to the study of von Schleicher where he and his wife sat. Once the SS confirmed his identity they murdered him and his wife.

This was in retaliation to his attempt to destabilize the Nazi party by giving a cabinet position to Gregor Strasser instead of Hitler several years earlier.

Adenauer was a neighbor of Kurt von Schleicher. He was in his yard when the SS went into von Schleicher’s home and murdered him. The Gestapo invaded Adenauer’s property and arrested him because he was a witness to gun shots fired in the von Schleicher’s household. He was released two days later when he began living in hiding until arrested later by the Nazis.

The afternoon after the Night of the Long Knives murders had began Göring held a press conference where he stated that the uprising against the German government led by SA leader Ernst Rohm was put down.

He also announced that Kurt von Schleicher was part of the coup and was shot when he resisted arrest which was a lie (they also shot von Schleicher’s wife who was a witness).

Four SS officers went to the office of then major Oskar von Hindenburg to retrieve documents detailing the death of Schleicher. With guns drawn they demanded the papers back, but instead of the handing over the papers Hindenburg pushed a secret alarm button. His armed guards came in and disarmed the SS officers. The SS men were then taken to the basement of the building where they were shot. Hindenburg cremated the bodies and sent them to the head of the SS - Himmler.