Memorial commemorating the White Rose before Munich University, photograph WikipediaThe 80th anniversary of the death of 3 members of the White Rose organization passes. On February 22, 1943, they were executed on a guillotine in Munich Sophie and Hans Scholl and their colleague Christoph Probst
They were members of a five-man student opposition group from Munich Die Weiße Rose (White Rose). From June 1942 to February 1943, they developed and distributed six extended leaflets calling for opposition against the national-socialist dictatorship. All 5 came from conservative, bourgeois families. any of them, including Scholl's siblings, were even initially members of the Nazi youth organization Hitlerjugend (in 1939 90 percent of young people belonged to HJ). However, Sophie and her colleagues rapidly became critics of the regime. In their flyers, they appealed not only to the consciences of their countrymen. They were convinced that they couldn't be silent, that the criminal strategy had to be resisted.
Sophie Scholl was 21 erstwhile she was executed.The Nazi authorities have treated the package action White Rose as a serious threat and have engaged considerable force to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. In subsequent trials before the Munich People's Court, another members of the organization and persons assisting them in the reproduction and distribution of leaflets were sentenced to death. Even those who only knew about them went to jail.
The People's Court was a political court. His task was not to justice fairly, but to destruct opponents of the regime. The president of this court, Roland Freisler, considered himself a “political soldier” by Adolf Hitler. Under his leadership, the Munich People's Court became a tool of terror.
Hans SchollThe first 4 flyers were written in June and July 1942 and distributed Hans Scholl and Alexander Schmorell. These were densely written one- or two-page texts. They sent them to Munich writers, professors, publishers, booksellers, fellow students. Scholl felt that in 1933 it was intelligence that had failed politically. At the Gestapo hearing, he explained: “I felt it was advanced time to draw the attention of this part of society to their political responsibilities towards the state.”
Christoph Labst"Nothing is little worthy of a civilized nation than unresistently let the “rule” of irresponsible rulers and subjects to dark instincts" — this is the first conviction first leaflet. "Resist passively wherever you are."
Second leaflet It began with the words: “You cannot face national socialism spiritually due to the fact that it is heartless. It's a mistake to talk about a national-socialistic worldview, due to the fact that if it existed, you'd gotta effort to prove it or fight it. The reality shows us a very different picture. Already in the embryo, this movement was based on cheating fellow citizens. He was already inside rotten and could only save himself by constant lies.”
In the 3rd leaflet Its authors showed what the state of law and freedom should be, and what it is now. “Our present country is simply a dictatorship of evil. “But we have known this for a long time”, I hear from you, “there is no request to remind you.” So I'm going to ask you, if you know that, why don't you protest, why do you agree that power step by step openly and secretly takes distant your rights 1 by one, and 1 day, nothing will be left but the state machinery itself, ruled by criminals and drunkards? Is your soul already enslaved that you have forgotten that it is not only your law, but besides your moral work to overthrow this system.”
In addition to calling for a fight against the government and demanding the harshest punishments for Hitler and his followers in the 4th leaflet They wrote: “We firmly emphasize that the White Rose is not on the pay of any abroad power.”
Fifth leaflet appeared in January 1943. The group besides included Sophie Scholl's doctrine student. It called for widespread action. Hitler can't win this war anymore. He can only drag it. It was observed that if we did not get free of national socialism now, the Germans would be waiting for the same thing they prepared for the Jews. Future Germans saw leaflets as a national country in a united Europe. Over 6,000 copies were made. To give the impression that they are a large organization, the 5th leaflet was besides sent to six South German and Austrian cities.
The defeat at Stalingrad shook the Germans' religion in victory. This encouraged members White Rose to make the sixth leaflet. They addressed it to their fellow students and called on the youth to emergence against Nazi dictatorship. any of the flyers were sent in the mail. The remainder of about 800-1200 prepared copies of Scholl's siblings took the remainder of them to university on 18 February. erstwhile Sophie threw dozens of pieces from the cloister to the large hall, she was spotted and captured with her brother. Hans had a manuscript of the seventh leaflet by Probst, which was besides immediately arrested. After 3 days of constant hearings at the Gestapo, all 3 faced the People's Court, were sentenced to death, beheaded on the guillotine on February 22.
Sophie was 21. At a court hearing, she said: “I think I did the best I could from the point of view of my nation. After all, you think as much as we do, but you do not have the courage to say it.”
By the end of 1943, British bombers dropped thousands of copies over Germany 6th leaflet. Its title was: “German leaflet. Manifesto students from Munich“.
Short activities White Rose She has had countless technological and public studies. The attention of their authors was mostly focused on Sophie Scholl, the only female in the group. 3 films were besides shot. The most famous, award-covered, is Marc Rothermund's 2005 "Sophie Scholl – Last Days". Julia Jentsch, playing the lead role, climbed to the top of her acting capabilities. all word of it, all gesture, all move, all look accurately depicts a intellectual transformation from a somewhat frightened student to a conscious patriot.
* Oh, my God *
In the image at the top: Memorial commemorating the White Rose before the University of Munich, photograph Wikipedia. another photos come from collections (© Gedenkstätte Deutscher Wiederstand)
