{"id":31302,"date":"2026-05-03T15:39:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T15:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=31302"},"modified":"2026-05-07T10:55:27","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T10:55:27","slug":"sophie-scholl-and-the-white-rose-movement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/european-history\/nazi-germany\/sophie-scholl-and-the-white-rose-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Movement"},"content":{"rendered":"

The White Rose organisation was a group of students at Munich University who were opposed to Hitler and the Nazi Regime. Sophie Scholl, and her brother, Hans Scholl, are the two best known members of the organisation. The White Rose and members such as Sophie Scholl distributed leaflets, painted anti-Nazi\u00a0graffiti\u00a0and promoted passive resistance to the Nazi State.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Sophie
Sophie Scholl<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sophie Scholl<\/h2>\n

Sophie Scholl enrolled at the University of Munich in May 1942, following her National Service. Here she was introduced to the friends of her brother, Hans Scholl. This group of friends had a shared interest in culture and philosophy. It was the latter of these that led Sophie Scholl and her friends to discuss issues such as the role of the Individual within a totalitarian state<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The White Rose Movement<\/h3>\n

These informal discussions soon \u00a0led to a more organised opposition to the regime. Several members of the group were sent to the Eastern Front for a 3 month posting (this was commonplace for medical students during the war). They saw the conditions on the Eastern Front at first hand, witnessed atrocities against Soviet Forces and were eyewitnesses to the way in which the Jews of Eastern Europe were being treated in the summer of 1942.<\/p>\n

These experiences, along with German reversals on the Eastern Front and an increase in rumours about the whereabouts of the Jews led to the group making the decision to act. This decision saw the forming of the White Rose movement. In a Police State doing anything \u2018against\u2019 the state was dangerous, yet this group were willing to take the risk and publicise what they had learnt.<\/p>\n

Sophie Scholl and the distribution of anti-Nazi leaflets<\/h3>\n

The White Rose movement distributed 6 leaflets in and around the campus of Munich University. They were aided by some members of staff who sympathised with their views.<\/p>\n

Excerpt from the first White Rose leaflet:<\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t it true that every honest German is ashamed of his government these days? Who among us has any conception of the dimensions of shame that will befall us and our children when one day the veil has fallen from our eyes and the most horrible of crimes\u2013 crimes that infinitely outdistance every human measure\u2013 reach the light of day?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Each of the leaflets produced by the White Rose was tantamount to Treason. Knowing this, the leaflets were dropped at places such as phone boxes, or left in bars or cafes.<\/p>\n

Investigation by the Gestapo<\/h3>\n

The fifth leaflet produced by the White Rose provoked a serious response from the Gestapo and the state authorities. It called for active resistance against the regime and openly opposed Hitler and the \u2018criminal\u2019 dictator state.<\/p>\n

Sophie Scholl and her brother, Hans, arrested for treason<\/h3>\n

Following the news of the German Army\u2019s defeat at Stalingrad the White Rose movement created a 6th, and final, leaflet. Again it called for action against the state. Whilst distributing the leaflet in the University on 18 February 1943, Sophie and Hans Scholl were seen throwing leaflets into the air by one of the caretaking staff. Soon afterwards Sophie and Hans Scholl were arrested. They were interrogated by the Gestapo before being tried for Treason on 22 November 1943. Both were found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. The sentence was carried out the same day, at 5pm in the prison in which they had been held.<\/p>\n

Fate of members of the White Rose Movement<\/h3>\n

Despite the best efforts of Sophie Scholl to hide the identities of other members of the White Rose movement, the Gestapo were able to round up and arrest the majority of leading members of the group. Over the course of the rest of the war numerous members of the White Rose were put on trial. They\u2019re sentences ranged from execution to prison sentences. Several members survived the war, in large because trial dates had to be changed due to Allied Bombing raids.<\/p>\n

Links<\/h4>\n

Museum of Jewish Heritage<\/a> – Remembering Resistance: Sophie Scholl and the White Rose<\/p>\n

Germany 1919 \u2013 1945 Links<\/h2>\n

The Second Reich<\/h3>\n

Unification of Germany<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Political systems within the Second Reich<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0German Society during the Second Reich<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Collapse of the Second Reich<\/a><\/p>\n

Weimar Republic<\/h3>\n

Interim Government<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Founding of the Weimar Republic<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Impact of the First World War on Germany<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The Treaty of Versailles and its impact on Germany<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Weimar Constitution<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a01919-1923: Years of Crisis?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Spartacist Uprising<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Kapp Putsch<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Reichsbanner Schwarz-Rot-Gold<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Reparations<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Hyperinflation in Germany, 1923<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a01924-1928: A Golden Era?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a01925 Presidential Election<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Gustav Stresemann<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0German Foreign Relations 1919-1932<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Germany in the Great Depression<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Failings of the Weimar Republic<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Dada Movement<\/a><\/p>\n

Rise of the Nazi Party<\/h3>\n

The Munich Putsch<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Did the Economic Crisis of 1923 help the Nazi\u2019s?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Origins of the Nazi Party<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Rise of the Nazi Party<\/a><\/p>\n

Nazi Germany<\/h3>\n

Totalitarian Regime in Nazi Germany<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0How did Hitler consolidate power?<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Mein Kampf<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Nazi methods of control<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Opposition to the Nazi Regime<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Organisation of the Nazi Party<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Fuhrerprinzip<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Kristallnacht<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Youth and Education<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Goering and the 2nd 4 Year Plan<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Anti-Jewish Boycott, 1933<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Nazi Anti-Semitism<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0DAF (The German Labour Front)<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Propaganda in Germany 1919-39<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Economic Policy of the Nazi Party<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Kreisau Circle<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The Confessing Church<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Catholic Church<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Edelweiss Pirates<\/a><\/p>\n

Biographies<\/h3>\n

Ludwig Beck<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Dietrich Bonhoeffer<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Bishop Clemens von Galen<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Carl Goerdeler<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Robert Ley<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Helmuth von Moltke<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Martin Niemoller<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Erwin Rommel<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Hjalmar Schacht<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Sophie Scholl<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Albert Speer<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Claus von Stauffenberg<\/a>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Fritz Todt<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The White Rose organisation was a group of students at Munich University who were opposed to Hitler and the Nazi Regime. Sophie Scholl, and her brother, Hans Scholl, are the two best known members of the organisation. The White Rose and members such as Sophie Scholl distributed leaflets, painted anti-Nazi\u00a0graffiti\u00a0and promoted passive resistance to the… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":789,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-31302","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31302","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31302"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31302\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31302"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}