The White Rose: A Lesson in Dissent

Jewish Virtual Library ^ | Copyright 2012 | Jacob G. Hornberger

[Slyfox]

The date was February 22, 1943. Hans Scholl and his sister Sophie, along with their best friend, Christoph Probst, were scheduled to be executed by Nazi officials that afternoon. The prison guards were so impressed with the calm and bravery of the prisoners in the face of impending death that they violated regulations by permitting them to meet together one last time. Hans, a medical student at the University of Munich, was 24. Sophie, a student, was 21. Christoph, a medical student, was 22.

This is the story of The White Rose. It is a lesson in dissent. It is a tale of courage, of principle, of honor. It is detailed in three books, The White Rose (1970) by Inge Scholl, A Noble Treason (1979) by Richard Hanser, and An Honourable Defeat (1994) by Anton Gill.

Hans and Sophie Scholl were German teenagers in the 1930s. Like other young Germans, they enthusiastically joined the Hitler Youth. They believed that Adolf Hitler was leading Germany and the German people back to greatness.

Their parents were not so enthusiastic. Their father, Robert Scholl, told his children that Hitler and the Nazis were leading Germany down a road of destruction. Later, in 1942, he would serve time in a Nazi prison for telling his secretary: “The war! It is already lost. This Hitler is God's scourge on mankind, and if the war doesn't end soon the Russians will be sitting in Berlin.” Gradually, Hans and Sophie began realizing that their father was right. They concluded that, in the name of freedom and the greater good of the German nation, Hitler and the Nazis were enslaving and destroying the German people.

[Slyfox]

How fortunate we are to live in an age of instant communication and in a country which does have a robust freedom of speech. This young group, during Hitler's Germany, had to rely on leaflets in their attempt to break through the delusion that had overtaken the German people. The White Rose were a group of heroes doomed to die a traitor's death. They were part of Hilter's Youth and in the famous gathering in Berlin featured in "The Will" the members of this group were suddenly struck by the falsity of Hitler and vowed to voice their opinion via leaflets.

We are indeed lucky to have FR and all the voices intoning messages of truth.

[Slyfox]

Here’s a good read.

[Slyfox]

Their philosophy professor at the University of Munich looked just like William F. Buckley:

[teeker]

There was an excellent German movie on this called “Sophie Scholl: The Final Days” which gives very detailed information about the doomed members of The White Rose in their final days. Worth renting!

[Nifster]

and some gave all.....

[MacMattico]

I saw that on Netflix, I think. I don’t know if it’s still on there.

[eddie willers]

Oh my word....he does!

[Dogbert41]

It was a powerful movie! Great kangaroo court scene. Shocking ending. Germans were so efficient.