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The White Rose

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.

Quotes involving The White Rose

"I entered a spacious hall...vaulted ceiling black with soot... the hearts of the believers vibrated in unison... One could sense the stirring, the outpouring of souls unfolding after a long and terrible silence, souls that had at last found their way back to their true home... I could have wept for joy, because my heart too was loosing its bonds one by one. I wanted to love and laugh because I could see that hovering above these defeated people was an angel stronger than the powers of nothingness. Spiritual Nihilism was a major threat to European civilization, but as soon as it underwent its ultimate development in the total war to which we have finally succumbed and as soon as it veiled the mighty sky like a sea of grey cloud, it was vanquished. Nothing comes after nothing, yet kindle the flame and pass it from hand to hand until a new wave of rebirth inundates the land. The veil of cloud is rent asunder, as it were by the sunlight of a new religious awakening."

~ 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

People of The White Rose

Willi Graf - soldier and med student, very religious

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

Others

Roland Freisler - presiding judge in the trials of White Rose members; the head of "The People's Court", commonly referred to as "Hitler's hanging judge"

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"