Nacht der langen Messer

Literally, “night of the long knives”. The term had been in use since at least 1932 for a murderous reckoning that the Nazis were expected to conduct against their political enemies in the first night(s) after a potential rise to power. Such a single outburst did not happen, although many people were killed or sent to concentration camps over the following months. When the purge took place in 1934, the expression was transferred to this event (which was of course of rather a different nature).

• IPA^(key): /ˈnaxt der ˌlaŋən ˈmɛsər/, [ˈnaχt dɛɐ̯ ˌla.ŋ(ə)n ˈmɛ.sɐ]

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Nacht der langen Messer f (genitive Nacht der langen Messer, plural Nächte der langen Messer)

1. (politics) night of the long knives (purge in which opponents of a regime or political party are killed or removed)
   • 2013, Gerhard Altmann, Abschied vom Empire: Die innere Dekolonisation Grossbritanniens 1945–1985, Wallstein, →ISBN, page 231:

     Die Popularität der Regierung schwand rapide, und seit Herbst 1961 führte die Labour-Partei laut Umfragen in der Gunst der Wähler. Aus »Supermac« wurde allmählich »MacBlunder«. In einer »Nacht der langen Messer« im Juli 1962 tauschte der Premierminister ein Drittel seines Kabinetts aus.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. (specifically, Nazism, now rare) synonym of Röhm-Putsch (“1934 purge in Nazi Germany called the Night of the Long Knives”)
   • [2025 February 18, Leon Holly, “Donald Trump gegen den Rechtsstaat: Flood the zone with Schmitt”, in Die Tageszeitung: taz‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Ende Juni 1934 hatte Hitler in der sogenannten „Nacht der langen Messer“ politische Feinde und Rivalen in der Nazi-Herrscherclique ausgeschaltet und bis zu 200 Menschen umbringen lassen.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)]

• → English: night of the long knives (calque)
• → Polish: noc długich noży (calque)

• “Nacht der langen Messer” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon