Public Reaction to the Purge - by State Police, Kassel, July 5, 1934
Public Reaction to the Purge (of the SA) - State Police, Kassel, to GESTAPO, Berlin, July 5, 1934.
Source : B.C. Sax & D. Kuntz, Inside Hitler's Germany, (Massachusetts, 1992), pp.156-157.
PUBLIC MOOD
The political tension of the last few weeks and the public's sense of crisis have cleared up due to the Fuehrer's resolute action against the traitorous leadership of the SA. In public one now hears only laudatory and enthusiastic comments about the Fuehrer. The SA as well as the entire nation is firmly behind him. No incidents have been reported in this district. The situation is now totally calm. A few individuals, including some SS members, have made derogatory remarks about the SA in order to cloud the comradely relationship. Leaders of both SA and SS have stepped in [to end this].
THE FIGHT AGAINST MALCONTENTS
One hears grumbling not only from enemies of the state, but it is also very pronounced in the ranks of the Party. In the fight against alarmists, almost the opposite of what we set out to do has been accomplished. Six to eight weeks ago there was hardly any talk of grumblers and rumourmongers. Now, however, the grumbling is in high gear because of the many malcontents. Large groups of the population which hitherto had been unaffected by rumours and grumbling, and which had been loyal to the Party and state, have been drawn into the ranks of the grumblers. ... All opposition elements have been given fresh impetus by Vice Chancellor von Papen's Marburg speech. ... The speech is widely known. It has confidentially become known that reactionary circles have circulated typewritten copies of the speech. An investigation into this matter has not yielded any information.
PARTY AND STATE
The relationship between administrative departments, Party offices, and the state police continue to be good. Many Party members, however, are suspicious of state authorities. The friction between SA members and police officers has nonetheless begun to disappear recently. Difficulties have continued in isolated cases. Here the fault lies partly with police and constabularies who frequently lack the requisite aptitude, while Party and SA members also are to blame because they cannot adjust to the fact that the authorities are no longer our enemies but are instead officials of the Third Reich.
