Sturmabteilung (Noun)
Meaning
Nazi militia created by Hitler in 1921 that helped him to power but was eclipsed by the SS after 1943.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- Hitler established the Sturmabteilung in 1921 as a Nazi militia force to intimidate and attack opponents of the party.
- The Sturmabteilung initially served as a bodyguard for Hitler and a source of violence against his enemies.
- As the Nazi Party rose to power in the early 1930s, the Sturmabteilung played a significant role in the violent suppression of opposition.
- However, following the Night of the Long Knives in 1934, Adolf Hitler weakened the power of the Sturmabteilung, preferring the loyalty of the SS.
- By 1943, the SS had largely eclipsed the Sturmabteilung, which fell into relative disuse as the war went on.