Sturmabteilung

Definition

The Sturmabteilung (SA or Storm Detachment), popularly known as the Brownshirts for their uniform, was the paramilitary arm of the German Nazi party led by Adolf Hitler (1889-1945). The SA was formed in 1921 and led most famously by Ernst Röhm (1887-1934) with the purpose of intimidating rival parties and attacking those identified as enemies of Nazism.

More about: Sturmabteilung

Timeline

  • 1921 - 1934
    The SA or Sturmabteilung is the Nazi Party's primary paramilitary group.
  • 1921 - 1923
    Hans Ulrich Klintzsch leads the Nazi Party's Sturmabteilung (SA) paramilitary group.
  • Mar 1923 - May 1924
    Hermann Göring leads the Nazi Party's Sturmabteilung (SA) paramilitary group.
  • 1924
    The Nazi party's paramilitary wing, the Sturmabteilung (SA) adopts a brownshirt uniform.
  • May 1924 - May 1925
    Ernst Röhm leads the Nazi Party's Sturmabteilung (SA) paramilitary group.
  • 1925
    Adolf Hitler creates a new paramilitary group, the Schutzstaffel or SS, to rival the Sturmabteilung or SA.
  • 1926 - 1929
    Franz Pfeffer von Salomon leads the Sturmabteilung (SA), the Nazi paramilitary group.
  • Jan 1931 - Jun 1934
    Ernst Röhm again leads the Sturmabteilung (SA) Nazi paramilitary group.
  • 1933
    The Nazi paramilitary group the Sturmabteilung (SA) has 2.3 million members.
  • 27 Feb 1933
    The Reichstag Fire, likely caused by either a communist anarchist or members of the Strumabteilung (SA), the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party.
  • 30 Jun 1934
    The Night of the Long Knives when Adolf Hitler purges the Sturmabteilung (SA) Nazi paramilitary group.
  • 1 Jul 1934
    Ernst Röhm, leader of the Sturmabteilung (SA) is shot in prison by the SS.
  • 9 Nov 1938 - 10 Nov 1938
    The Nazi Party's paramilitary wing, the Sturmabteilung (SA) attacks Jews and Jewish property in the Kristallnacht.
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