MERILYNE DORSAINVILLE THE WHITE ROSE MOVEMENT

 History  Main characters  A look a the individuals behind the movement  Operations  Arrest and execution  Impact of the White Rose  Conclusion

Resistance group in Nazi Germany Non violent, intellectual passive movement Uncertain motivations and aims Unknown when it evolved to a movement

 Hans and Sophie Scholl  Christopher Probst  Willi Graf  Alex Schmorell  Professor Kurt Huber

 Hans was born in 1918 and Sophie in 1921  They grew up in Ulm  Children of a father of significant local stature  Both joined the Hitler Youth  University of Munich students:  Hans drafted into service while in medical school  Sophie as biology and philosophy student

 Born in 1918  Father was a private scholar and researcher  Former member of German Youth Movement  Only member married with children  Also medical student and military background  Created design for what would have been the 7 th leaflet

 Born in 1918  Participated in anti-Nazi activities growing up  Deployed in Europe as medical orderly  Functioned as recruiter in cities around Germany  Was kept in prison the longest after sentencing  6 months of interrogations yielded no names

 Born in Russia in 1917  Of German father and Russian mother  Took part as a combat medic in Russian campaign  Medical student but was artistically gifted  Co-Author of 4 of the White Rose’ leaflets

 Born in 1843  Only middle-aged man in the movement  Professor at the Munich University  Married with 2 children  Wrote the final leaflet of the White Rose

Operations  Active operations between June 1942 and Feb  6 leaflets created and distributed  Leaflets raised awareness about the Holocaust  Graffiti smeared on walls “ Down with Hitler”

February 18 th leaflets thrown over balcony at University of Munich Sophie and Hans reported by guard and arrested On Feb. 22 nd Christopher Probst, the Scholls stood on the first trial Found guilty of treason and sentenced to death by the “ People’s Court” Execution was 3 hours after sentencing by guillotine

April 19 th 1943 was the 2 nd trial 3 more death sentences by guillotine Professor Huber and Alex Schmorell executed July 13 th 1943 Willi Graff executed on Oct. 12 th 1943 so he could give out names There was a third trial scheduled for April 20 th (Hitler’s birthday) but evidence was lost Trial took place on July 19 th Most accused were acquitted.

The Scholls believed their death would have sparked a revolution Life went on as usual after the executions The last leaflets of the White Rose were used by the Allied group towards end of war The members gained admiration of many (after the fact) Movies, documentaries, operas were made about them, places were named after them

 Courageous till the end  Dared to act  Selflessness  Today’s society should treasure freedom  Shattering the German night  At the heart of the white Rose  The White Rose and the Definition of Resistance

The Scholls and Christopher Probst

Momument dedicated to the White Rose at the University of Munich