The White Rose Society was a group formed by students Hans and Sophie Scholl, brother and sister, and a group of close friends, and professors. Their common goal was to stand together against the Nazis that were terrorizing their country in the early 1940's. Their other goal was to declare that Christ was the supreme power and not Adolph Hitler. One way they did so was by secretly writing and printing leaflets behind a church organ. Then they would take as many as 2000 of them at a time and randomly distribute their writings in cities such as Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Vienna, Frieburg, Saarbreuken and Mannheim. Mainly on college campus's, pubs, and places where they knew many people would frequently go to.
They soon started working with others outside of their cities, Munich and Ulm. They also started joining forces with other scattered groups. They often met in cafes to discuss art, literature, poetry and music. They went on skiing trips, long hikes into the forest and concerts. They distributed an underground magazine called "Windlicht", which means wind, light, a hurricane or storm lamp. The essays contained in it were a form of expression against the political / military actions that were devouring and destroying Germany.
Eventually the members of The White Rose Society were discovered and arrested as enemies of the state. Out of all members Sophie Scholl's trial was the most powerful and moving that even the Nazi guards were surprised. The courtroom became a platform for her to shine through the heavy darkness that hung like stormclouds.
~ Hans Scholl ~
"WE WILL NOT BE SILENT. WE ARE YOUR BAD CONSCIENCE. THE WHITE ROSE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU IN PEACE..."
~from the 4th leaflet of The White Rose ~
"I realized that she (Sophie Scholl) was the same age as me, and I realized that she was executed the same year I started working for Hitler. At that moment, I really sensed it was no excuse to be young and that it might have been possible to find out what was going on."
-- Traudl Junge, Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary
Kurt Huber - Professor of Philosophy, attracted students to his lectures with his biting (yet carefully concealed) remarks against Hitler
Christoph Probst - soldier, a young husband and father of 3
Alexander Schmorell - soldier and med student, talented artist and musician, cherished his Russian ancestry
Hans Scholl - soldier and med student, "founded" the group
Sophie Scholl - biology and philosophy student, talented artist
Else Gebel - political prisoner who shared a cell with Sophie Scholl during her final days
Traute Lafrenz - med student, girlfriend of Hans Scholl
Hans Leipelt - helped raise money for the widow and children of Kurt Huber
Franz M?- folded and addressed leaflets, founded The White Rose Foundation
Inge Aicher-Scholl - sister of Hans and Sophie Scholl
J?Wittenstein - med student and close friend of Hans Scholl and Alex Schmorell
The White Rose Links
"The White Rose"
"Windticht"
"People of the White Rose"
"They Died to Defeat the Reich"
"Jurgen Wiltenstein: A View Within The White Rose"
"White Rose"
"The Four Leaflets"
"The White Rose Photo Album"
"Bibliography"