"Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go. But what does my death matter if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?"
~ Sophie Scholl
Flashback 1943; Sophie's mugshots.
White Rose Resistance 1943; Hans' mugshots.
White Rose Resistance 1943; Christoph's mugshots.
History Answers; The Hall at the University of Munich where Sophie dropped the pamphlets.
"He conducted the trial as if the future of the Reich were indeed at stake. He roared denunciations of the accused as if he were not the judge but the prosecutor. He behaved alternately like an actor ranting through an overwritten role in an implausible melodrama and a Grand Inquisitor calling down eternal damnation on the heads of the three irredeemable heretics before him."
~ Someone says about the trial
On the morning of Feburary 18, 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl were caught distributing anti- Nazi pamhplets at the Unviersity of Munich. Twenty one year old Sophie was seen by a janitor pushing a stack of the pamphlets off a balcony while class was in session. The janitor immediately notified the Gestapo, the German secret police. At first, Sophie and Hans claimed they had no involvement with the White Rose. However, Hans had an incriminating draft of a pamphlet in his coat pocket.
Britannica; How the White Rose was caught.
Hans was caught trying to rip up the pamphlet, but it was pieced back together, proving their guilt. They were questioned further by the Gestapo linking Christoph Probst, another White Rose member, to them. Due to a biased trial and unfair defense, all three members were sentenced to death by guillotine. The regime executed them four days later on February 22, 1943.
Weisse Rose 1943; Sophie wrote "freedom" on the back of her indictment.
White Rose Resistance 2014; The guillotine Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst were executed with.
The other members of the White Rose were caught and arrested shortly after. Willi Graf was arrested on February 18th and Kurt Huber on the 27th. Alex Schmorell was found by the Gestapo trying to flee to Switzerland. They were all put on trial on April 19, 1943 and were sentenced to death by guillotine. Kurt and Alex were executed together on July 13, 1943. In letters to his family, Alex told them he did not fear death, and didn't regret his actions. Willi was kept in solitary confinement for six months; and was interrogated about other members of the White Rose until his execution on October 12, 1943.
Amazon 1943; Cover of Kurt Huber's interrogation transcripts