[5] While there he also received a number of dueling scars resulting from the academic fencing once practised by young upper-class Austrians and Germans.

Göring was made minister president for Prussia in April of that year, replacing Carl Severing, and was impressed with Diels' work and new-found commitment to the Nazi Party.

[9] On 27 February 1933 the Reichstag fire occurred and Diels was the main interrogator of the principal accused, Marinus van der Lubbe.

[3] Diels attracted the attention of political rivals, including SS chief Heinrich Himmler and his deputy, Reinhard Heydrich.

[1][10] Concerned that Diels was not ruthless enough to effectively counteract the power of the Sturmabteilung (SA), Göring handed over control of the Gestapo to Himmler on 20 April 1934.

Heydrich, named chief of the Gestapo by Himmler on 22 April 1934, also continued as head of the SS Security Service, the Sicherheitsdienst (SD).

[11] Effectively smeared, but with Göring's aid, Diels narrowly avoided execution during the Night of the Long Knives at the end of June 1934, fleeing his post for five weeks.