A
Gallery of Unpublished Original Photographs of Ernst
Röhm, the SA Stabschef, 1933-1934, and other top
Nazis
Ernst
Röhm was the chief of staff of Hitler's
brownshirt Sturmabteilung, the SA, until the
purge known as the Night of the Long Knives, June 30,
1934. Heinrich Himmler, Hermann Göring,
and the German army conspired to rid themselves of
this dangerous former army officer, who commanded by
then a two-million strong army of disgruntled
Brownshirts. Röhm was arrested by Hitler
personally on the night of June 30, 1934, and shot on
the orders of Himmler and Göring in his
Stadelheim prison cell, Munich.
These often candid photographs are the only
surviving set of original 5x7 inch prints of 640
negatives. Every negative of about thirty rolls of
Leica film has apparently been printed. The negatives
are now lost. These prints are in pristine condition.
Röhm himself is seen in both uniform and plain
clothes, relaxing , and reviewing parades, often with
his nemesis the SS chief Heinrich Himmler, originally
his junior, hovering grinning in the rear. Twice,
Röhm is seen rather incongruously with a female
on his arm (he was a notorious homosexual).
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In detail, this collection of photographs
contains::
Six Ilford boxes with approximately 640 5x7 inch
(12.7x17.8cm) black and white original photos printed
in recent years, all on one occasion, from original
Leica negatives. They are evidently one complete
collection, as the photos mostly portray Hitler,
Himmler, and other notables in company with Ernst
Röhm, who figures in about 50% of the pictures;
one background has an inscription "Mini" 1933
indicating therefore that the photos were taken
1933-34. Unfortunately there are no captions and few
clues to the locations. The photographer may have been
an officer on Röhm's staff. Photos include:
Hitler, and Himmler; and more rarely Göring,
Bormann, Baur (at his Ju52); ski hut, skis, skiing;
several candid photos of Röhm in plain clothes;
various goodlooking young females; motor cars with
registration numbers including 11A-2759 (a sports car
with two young females), 11A-19110 (Mercedes,
evidently Röhm's), 11A-6827 (Mercedes), 11A-22006
(Mercedes), 1A-24959 with female and child; Strandkorb
and female; six Mercedes parked, incl. 11A-20206;
11A-9256(Mercedes); female at wheel of motor boat on
lake; officers wait at airport building (Munich?) for
Hitler, Lufthansa plane, one officer with Pickelhaube;
Biertisch; Röhm smiling, plain clothes, young
lady on his arm; Kapelle in uniform; several parades
and much saluting; racing car (HA-18617), racing
planes; Kradfahrer-Korps; ski jump copmpetition, and
landscape which is evidently Garmisch - the Parkhotel
Alpenhof [Garmisch Partenkirchen] helps nail
it down; Alpine landscapes in snow; group photo, 70
officers with Hitler in center; lakes, boat rides;
snowscapes; sunbathing females; Munich parade
(opposite Loden Frey store), with Himmler and
Röhm; photos of a naked man swimming and climbing
out of the pool; Röhm with an adjutant in black
uniform; manoeuvres.
We invite readers to identify other officers seen
on these sample prints. Use the feedback button on
each photo: who are those officers, where are those
steps, what is that lake, etc.? We will constantly
update the gallery.
The entire
set of six boxes of photographic prints will be
sold as one unit for £2,000 plus mail charges.
High-grade scans of some are available for a
£100 fee.
For
further information contact [email protected]
First posted: Monday, March 31, 2008
All photographs are
copyright, and permission must be sought from us
before any use whatsoever is made of them
THE main event is the tenth Anniversary of the
November Beer Hall Putsch of 1923 (which would place
these in November 1933): Hence all the prominent party
members. the "steps" are of the Feldherrnhalle (the
Lions are a big give-away - see below). Note that none
of the SA or SS men sports the ceremonial dagger
designed by Röhm and issued to the SA leaders and
ranks from December 1933 onwards.