die Weiße Rose

'22 February [1943] Hans and Sophie Scholl, prominent members of the 'White Rose' resistance group are executed.' [Rentschler 263]

I didn't know what the White rose even was, so it naturally caught my attention. The White Rose was composed mostly of students, and a few professors at the University of Munich who wrote and printed leaflets that were decidedly anti nazi.

The leaflets dealt with deportation and murder of Jews and were opposed to the blind nationalism and militarism in Germany. The students called for justice, and the leaflets were widely distributed in many major German cities.

Hans and Sophie Scholl were arrested by the Gestapo on the 18th after distributing leaflets at the university. They were extensively interrogated, but reportedly remained firm. On the 22nd they were tried by the Volksgerichtshof, and beheaded later that day, on account of treason.

 I am impressed with the courage [or perhaps idealistic naivete] of these students. Although it may appear that their efforts may have been rather futile, the fast and harsh action against them by the Gestapo suggest that they were being effective, insofar as they were noticed and considered threatening.