July 20
As reward for its role in the Röhm purge of June 30-July 2, Hitler decrees the SS, under Reichsführer SS (SS chief) Heinrich Himmler, to be an independent formation of the Nazi Party, directly subordinate only to Hitler himself as Führer (leader). The SS had formerly been subordinate to the SA.
August 2
German President von Hindenburg dies. With the support of the German armed forces, Hitler becomes President of Germany.