Ahead of Röhm’s elimination, we held a final meeting.
We drew up the primary list of SA leaders to be executed alongside Röhm and discussed others who, while not SA, should be removed while we had the chance.
First at bat: Kurt von Schleicher.
In the original timeline he would have become Chancellor before Hitler, but history’s been altered; he didn’t make it.
He never will.
Apparently convinced he’d replace me as Chancellor, Schleicher flew into a rage when Hindenburg appointed me, bad-mouthing both of us behind our backs. Still does.
"Evidence suggests he even contacted the French ambassador and accepted bribes from him," Heydrich said.
Everyone bristled, but I kept my mouth shut and listened.
Heydrich was gifted at gathering intelligence—also gifted at inventing crimes from thin air and pinning them on people.
There was no way to verify on the spot whether that claim was true or fabricated.
What mattered was that Schleicher hated me and was slandering me. That part was undeniable.
Leave him alone and he might trip me up later.
So we’d have to move first.
"Even so, he was a general of the realm. We should send him off ‘with a measure’ of respect."
"What method do you desire, my Führer?"
"Bombs and bullets are too loud. Use the quietest method. Poison will do. Something very certain."
"As you wish."
Heydrich took notes in the pocket notebook he always carried.
Next came Papen.
Franz von Papen.
In history he succeeded Heinrich Brüning as Chancellor, proved useless, and got sacked. Schleicher snatched the Chancellorship right after.
Resentful, Papen cooperated with Hitler and helped him seize power, but Hitler openly shut him out when Papen tried to pull strings as a backroom strongman.
When Papen attacked Hitler with an anti-Nazi, anti-Hitler speech at Marburg University, Hitler used the Night of the Long Knives to execute Papen’s close associates as a warning: get in line if you don’t want to die.
Papen folded at once, shuffled around as ambassador to Austria and then Turkey, and died in 1969.
"Papen is dismissed," I said.
"Why, my Führer?" Himmler asked. He’d assumed we’d kill Papen as a set and looked surprised when I vetoed it.
"Right now he’s being cooperative—whatever his real thoughts. Maybe he has other schemes, but unless I can crack his skull open and read his brain, I can’t know.
Besides, the President trusts him. If we harm him rashly, it could blow back on us."
"But, my Führer, we have proof that in private he claimed he should be the next Chancellor," Heydrich objected. He clearly wanted Papen dead too. It didn’t change my mind.
"Anyone could say that. As long as he isn’t blatantly trying to screw me over like Schleicher, I’ll let it slide. There are times to spill blood, but you don’t just kill at random."
"Your words are correct," Göring said, siding with me. Historically he got along decently with Papen and opposed killing him, shielding him when the knives came out.
"Well… if that’s your order, my Führer…" Goebbels agreed as well.
"Quite right. Even slaughter should have limits."
Hess added his assent, and Papen’s execution was taken off the table.
Next up: Gregor Strasser.
Not as extreme as Röhm, but Strasser had strong socialist leanings and clashed with Hitler, claiming the Party line had swung too far right.
Relations later thawed after Strasser’s car accident, but he angered Hitler by supporting Schleicher’s coalition proposal, and he had to resign all his posts.
Even after I became Chancellor, he didn’t return to the Party; he worked as a pharmaceutical executive—then was purged during the Night of the Long Knives.
But in this world Schleicher never became Chancellor, so he never offered Strasser that coalition. Strasser still served as the Party’s Organization Chief.
"He still hasn’t learned, my Führer," Heydrich said. "He keeps demanding policy corrections, claiming the Party has been corrupted.
Like Schleicher, he freely criticizes you in private."
"Is that so? Do you have proof?"
"Yes. If you look here—"
I glanced at the "evidence" he offered and quietly set it aside.
"Looks thin to me."
"Sir?"
"I didn’t tell you, but two weeks ago he sent me a letter through Hess. He sincerely apologized for his past errors and promised to follow my decisions unconditionally."
"That’s certainly a lie! If you fall for—"
I raised a hand and cut Heydrich off.
"Whether it’s a lie or sincere, God knows. I choose to trust him. I haven’t forgotten that he and I clashed over the Party line.
But that happens to everyone. You’ve all fought with friends before."
"Th-that may be, but this isn’t child’s play. The stakes are far higher."
"You can think that if you like. I’m still placing my trust in him.
And Strasser has been my comrade for a very long time. His brother Otto was shot dead marching with me in Munich.
Even so, Gregor never blamed me. He stayed loyal.
If he meant to betray me, he would have stabbed me in the back long ago. He deserves at least one more chance."
Strasser had fought Hitler over policy, but personally he remained endlessly loyal. On the day itself, when SS men came to arrest him, he reportedly said, "He wouldn’t do this."
Thus Strasser lived. In the original history, the elder brother died and the younger survived; here it was the other way around.
A few more names came up—Bavarian governor Kahr and some ex-politicians—but most were passed over.
The kill list was complete. All that remained was to carry it out.
***
January 28, 1933
I called Röhm.
"Röhm? It’s me. Can you talk?"
"Adolf? What is it?"
"Nothing special. Calling about the usual meeting. Where are you now?"
"Taking the waters at Bad Wiessee."
"I see. Summon all SA leaders there by the 30th. I’ll be coming as well. Until then, enjoy your vacation."
"All right. You should come rest too. Does wonders for the body."
"Yeah?"
"You have to know when to take a break. Not just the baths—the restaurants nearby are excellent. There’s a place that does Schweinshaxe that’ll make you weep. You have to try it."
"I’ll… consider it."
I hung up.
"Dammit."
A sigh slipped out before I knew it.
"What did he say?" Himmler asked, stepping up. I exhaled shortly.
"He bought it. Not a hint of suspicion."
"As I thought—short-sighted."
"Well… we were close for a long time."
Röhm, I’ll probably get around to those baths much later, if ever.
***
January 30
The day of fate dawned.
Our agent in Bad Wiessee confirmed that Röhm and the SA leadership had assembled.
"Every last one is present."
"Good. Then we go."
It had been a while since I handled a Luger. I shoved it into the holster at my belt and left the office.
"Salute the Chancellor!"
Himmler and Heydrich stood waiting in black SS uniforms. The army had supplied all weapons and vehicles.
The SS men—drivers included—waited fully armed, as if marching to war.
The pointlessly clear sky clashed with the sight of Himmler and Heydrich in steel helmets, making the moment feel even more surreal.
"We’re not going to the front. What’s with the getup? Helmets aren’t exactly necessary…"
"One must always be ready for contingencies, my Führer!"
"…"
He even tried to put a helmet on me. I refused. I wore enough of those on active service, kid.
"Move out."
In the old timeline, today was the day Hitler became Chancellor. In this one, that happened last year.
In this version of history, today would be recorded not as a chancellorship, but as a purge.
***
Josef Dietrich—Prussian state deputy and SS lieutenant general—had already arrived in Munich with two SS companies and was waiting for us.
We linked up with Dietrich and headed straight for Röhm. At his lodging, two SA officers came out to greet us.
"Welcome, my Führer. The Chief of Staff is—"
"Arrest them."
I lifted my hand, and burly SS men sprang forward like coiled springs, binding the two SA commanders.
"W-what?!"
"Why are you doing this?!"
"We’ll decide your fate after Röhm is dealt with. Take them away."
I led the SS up the stairs. At Röhm’s door, Dietrich kicked it open.
From what I know, when Röhm was arrested he’d been lying naked in bed with two lovers. Thankfully, here he was alone.
In his pajamas, he stared at me, dumbstruck.
"Röhm, you are under arrest."