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In the turbulent years leading to Hitler’s dictatorship, Karl Ernst commanded the Nazi Sturmabteilung in Berlin—the paramilitary force that beat opponents, raided homes, and terrorized Jews in the streets. A former nightclub bouncer turned fanatic, Ernst embodied the ruthless energy of the Brownshirts. Under his command, violence became a tool of politics, and fear a weapon of control. His name was whispered in connection with the burning of the Reichstag and the brutal street purges that silenced dissent.
But when Hitler turned against the SA during the Night of the Long Knives in 1934, Ernst’s loyalty could not save him. Shot by the SS, he became one more casualty of the regime’s hunger for total control—a man who helped build the Nazi machine of terror, only to be destroyed by it.

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You can watch the full documentary about Karl Ernst on World History TV, in the film 'The SA Commander Behind Berlin’s Terror: Karl Ernst’ 👉LINK in BIO 👈

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Transcript
00:00One of Karl Ernst's earliest claims to infamy came on the 12th of September 1931, the day of the Jewish
00:07New Year.
00:08The bustling Berlin boulevard, called Kurfürstendamm, was packed with people, including Jewish families leaving a nearby synagogue.
00:16In an organized show of force, SA men poured onto the streets, chanting,
00:22Death to the Jews, and Beat the Jews Dead.
00:26Eyewitnesses later recalled that Wolfheinrich von Helldorf and Karl Ernst drove up and down the avenue in a car, giving
00:34orders to intensify the violence.
00:37Some of the brownshirts stormed a local café, injuring visitors, others chased down passers-by they deemed Jewish-looking.
00:45The rampage was vicious enough to shock even some of the conservative press, who normally overlooked Nazi brutality.
00:52Discover the full story on worldhistory.tv
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