THE WHITE ROSE
Jace Isham - English III-H 6th
"WE ARE YOUR BAD CONSCIENCE."
Anyone familiar with the 20th century knows of Hitler's oppression and murder, but we learn little of his few but dedicated dissidents. The White Rose (Die Weiße Rose) were a group of a few German students and a professor, bent on getting their six anti-Nazi leaflets into the hands of apathetic citizens. They called Hitler a devil, decried the persecution of the Jews, and believed God was on their side. Sophie Scholl, the foremost member, was executed with her brother after the trial dealing with their hiding their literature in the Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich.
Sophie Scholl (center), the 'face' of the White Rose
The Scholls, Hans and Sophie, were brother and sister
The memorial dedicated to the White Rose, featuring the leaflets in the original German
Nazi Germany - The White Rose - Resistance to Hitler N05e
The White Rose and Civil Disobedience
Members of the White Rose were put to death by Nazis for speaking their ideas. This freedom was not granted by Hitler's regime, and their actions were therefore subversive of his rule. Henry David Thoreau, a 19th century proponent of civil disobedience, wrote that "The only obligation which I have a right to assume is to do at any time what I think right." The White Rose and the Scholls were aware that what they were doing was illegal. However, they believed they were without a choice, because it was the right thing to do.