CBS

Gregor Strasser was born on May 31, 1892 in Geisenfeld, a town in the northern part of Germany. He joined the German Army and during the First World War won a medal for bravery. Strasser was one of the early members of the National Socialist Party, which later merged with the German Workers' Party to become the National Socialist German Workers' (or Nazi) Party. However, Strasser was part of a faction within the organization that opposed Hitler. In 1932, the newly-appointed Chancellor of Germany, Kurt von Schleicher, knew of the rift, and hoped to divide the powerful political party by offering Strasser the Vice Chancellorship. Hitler, who had already refused the position, demanding of President von Hindenburg that he be made Chancellor, learned of the proposal, branded Strasser a traitor, and forced him to relinquish his seat in the Reichstag as well as his post in the Nazi Party. Schleicher's Chancellorship dissolved soon thereafter, and President von Hindenburg reluctantly named Hitler Chancellor in January 1933. By mid-1934, Hitler had all but seized total control of the government, and on June 30 of that year he had many of his political opponents and rivals "purged." The date became known as "The Night of Long Knives," on which Strasser was attacked at his home while eating lunch and taken to prison, where he was later shot at through the window of his cell. Strasser was badly wounded, but was still alive when, finally, one of the attackers opened the door and shot Strasser at point blank range, killing him.