Hans Scholl
1918–1943
"Where does the truth lie? Should one go off and build a little house with flowers outside the windows and a garden outside the door and extol and thank God and turnone’s back on the world and its filth? Isn’t seclusion a form of treachery of desertion? I’m weak and puny, but I want to do what is right.”
~ Hans Scholl, 1941
Hans Scholl
(German Resistance Memorial)
Hans Scholl, a key member, helped found the White Rose. Although he supported the Nazis as Hitler rose to power, his views quickly changed. He formed the group with fellow university students Willi Graf, Alexander Schmorell, Christoph Probst, and their professor Kurt Huber. He contributed greatly to the writing and distribution of their leaflets.
"What are we going to show in the way of resistance-as compared to the Communists, for instance-when all this terror is over? We will be standing empty-handed. We will have no answer when we are asked: What did you do about it?”
~ Hans Scholl
The White Rose Beliefs
"The group had no wish to throw bombs, or to cause any injury to human life. They wanted to influence people's minds against Nazism and militarism."
~ Anton Gill, 1994
Despite prior support for Hitler, the White Rose unanimously held liberal beliefs and strived to convince Germans that Hitler's policies were wrong. They decided to combat Hitler with passive resistance, knowing they would be captured immediately if they showed any aggression. They aimed to spark larger debate, with hopes of more Germans taking a stand against the Nazis. Unfortunately, the German community failed to participate in their opposition due to the immense fear Hitler's government imposed.
White Rose Students
(The White Rose Foundation)
"Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just don't dare express themselves as we did."
~ Sophie Scholl, 1943
Hans Scholl
1918-1943
"Where does the truth lie? Should one go off and build a little house with flowers outside the windows and a garden outside the door and extol and thank God and turnone’s back on the world and its filth? Isn’t seclusion a form of treachery of desertion? I’m weak and puny, but I want to do what is right.”
~ Hans Scholl, 1941
Hans Scholl
(German Resistance Memorial)
Hans Scholl, a founding member of the White Rose, supported the Nazis as Hitler rose to power. But his views quickly changed. He formed the group with fellow students Willi Graf, Alexander Schmorell, Christoph Probst, and their professor Kurt Huber. He contributed greatly to the writing and distribution of their leaflets.
"What are we going to show in the way of resistance-as compared to the Communists, for instance-when all this terror is over? We will be standing empty-handed. We will have no answer when we are asked: What did you do about it?”
~ Hans Scholl
Sophie Scholl
1921–1943
"As time went on Sophie became increasingly disillusioned with the Nazis. On the day before England declared war in 1939 I went with her for a walk along the Danube and I remember I said: Hopefully there will be no war. And she said: Yes, I hope there will be. Hopefully someone will stand up to Hitler. In this she was more decisive than Hans."
~Elisabeth Scholl, 1939
Like her brother, Sophie initially supported the Nazi beliefs and was a highly ranked member of the “League of German Girls”. Sophie and her siblings were raised with the influence of their father's liberal beliefs, so her perspective soon changed when she realized the cruelty Hitler inflicted. Sophie decided to join her brother's resistance group where she contributed to the duplication and distribution of the leaflets.
Sophie Scholl
(The National WWII Museum)
“I am, now as before, of the opinion that I did the best that I could do for my nation. I therefore do not regret my conduct and will bear the consequences that result from my conduct.”
~ Sophie Scholl, 1943
Sophie Scholl
1921-1943
"As time went on Sophie became increasingly disillusioned with the Nazis. On the day before England declared war in 1939 I went with her for a walk along the Danube and I remember I said: Hopefully there will be no war. And she said: Yes, I hope there will be. Hopefully someone will stand up to Hitler. In this she was more decisive than Hans."
~Elisabeth Scholl, 1939
Like her brother, Sophie initially supported Nazi beliefs and was a highly ranked member of the “League of German Girls”. Sophie and her siblings were raised with the influence of their father's liberal beliefs, so her perspective soon changed when she realized the cruelty Hitler inflicted. Sophie joined her brother's resistance group where she contributed to the duplication and distribution of the leaflets.
Sophie Scholl
(The National WWII Museum)
“I am, now as before, of the opinion that I did the best that I could do for my nation. I therefore do not regret my conduct and will bear the consequences that result from my conduct.”
~ Sophie Scholl, 1943
Willi Graf
1918–1943
"Willi Graf, a tall, blond boy from the Saar region. He was rather taciturn fellow, thoughtful and reserved. When Hans got to know him, it was immediately evident that Willi belonged with them. He was occupied intensely with problems of philosophy and theology."
~ Inge Scholl
Willi Graf
(Spartacus Educational)
Willi Graf, a close friend of Scholl, Schmorell, and Probst, was a crucial part of White Rose discussions, arranging meetings and bringing key points to their discussions.
"Sometimes, I am certain of the rightness of my course. Sometimes I doubt it. But I take it upon myself nevertheless, no matter how burdensome it may be."
~ Willi Graf
Alexander Schmorell
1917–1943
"What are we waiting for? Until the war is over and everybody points to us and says we tolerated such a regime without protest?"
~ Alexander Schmorell
Alexander Schmorell, an original member of the White Rose, was incredibly active within the group. He wrote a majority of the leaflets alongside Hans and was extremely vocal about the need for action. Schmorell was influential in confronting the public and fabricated graffiti stencils himself.
Alexander Schmorell
(German Resistance Memorial Center)
"On the one side was idealism and the moral stature of a young man prepared to die for it. On the other side were those subhuman types with their obscene fixation on death and how to inflict it."
~ Schmorell's lawyer, 1943, after the execution of Alexander
Christoph Probst
1919–1943
"Probst was gentle, almost shy, a quality that can seem incongruous, if not slightly absurd, in a big man but that inspires admiration and love when it proves to be genuine."
~ Richard F. Hanser, 1979
Christoph Probst
(The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum)
Christoph Probst, another original White Rose member, couldn't meet often with the group due to a posting in Innsbruck. However, he remained in close contact. Probst wrote an article at the request of Hans Scholl, which was then used in part within the leaflets.
Kurt Huber
1893–1943
"[His lectures] were always packed, because he managed to introduce veiled criticism of the regime into them...though his hair was turning grey, he was one of [us]"
~ Hans Scholl
Kurt Huber, a professor, strongly agreed with his students’ beliefs. Despite initial uncertainty about getting involved, Huber became a notable member in discussions and wrote two of the six leaflets.
Kurt Huber
(German Restistance Memorial Center)
"in a state where the free expression of public opinion is throttled a dissident must necessarily turn to illegal methods."
~ Kurt Huber
Traute Lafrenz
1919–Present
"Traute Lafrenz would have been an asset and an ornament to any group, being both unusually bright and unusually attractive. There was nothing of the tamed and domesticated Kinder, Kuche, Kirche ilk about her."
~Alexander Schmorell, 1942
Traute Lafrenz
(German Resistance Memorial Center).
Traute Lafrenz, a close friend of the group, participated in group discussions. She worked behind the scenes, obtaining a duplicating machine, distributing flyers, and keeping track of everything and everybody to evade discovery. Lafrenz is the only living associate of the White Rose.
"Hans did all of this together with Alex(Schmorell)and Willi Graf. I just helped distribute flyers"
~ Traute Lafrenz, 2018