 He rose swiftly through the ranks, already holding the role of Standartenführer by 1934 and being recognised as one of Ernst Röhm's main advisers on economic issues.Gattineau's closeness to Röhm almost proved his undoing and as the Night of the Long Knives got under way on 30 June 1934 he was dragged from his bed and taken into Gestapo custody under the trumped up charges that he had diverted money from IG Farben to Röhm in order to fund the supposed plot that was used as justification for the massacre of SA members that ensued.He was interrogated for several hours and feared execution but then was surprisingly released from custody.