The Wall_Spring 2023_Issue 9

Isabel Kane , (she/her), S11, brings the heroism, selflessness and courage of a little-known resistance group to the fore.

held ‘melancholy too close to his heart to avoid it.’ It is important to remember his sadness, as we would’ve all felt it under the same circumstances. It is be lieved that this was written shortly after meeting a young Jewish prisoner, whom he gave a white flower and his rations. He knew that if he were to be caught, he would have died for helping her, but he did it regardless. This was the kind of per son he was. He was a young man who refused to stay silent amidst a sea of complicity and collective guilt. Regardless of the obvious distance between myself and him, Hans has provided me with quiet company over the past few years – a constant reminder that students are capable of what was thought impossible if they strive hard enough. Hans never let anything deter him from his goal, and he had faith that what he did would mean something long after he was gone. He was right. On the 22nd of February 1943, Hans, Sophie, and Christel were executed at the Munich Stadelheim prison.They were all buried together in Perlacher Forst, Munich. Shurik was executed on July 13th, 1943, and was buried near to his boyfriend, Hans. In 2012, he was canonized by the Eastern Ortho dox Church – he has many major shrines in Russia and Germany.Willi was killed on the 12th of October 1943 - he is now honoured by the Roman Catholic Church. The legacy of theWhite Rose will remain with me for the rest of my life.As they said, ‘TheWhite Rose will never leave you in peace.’We encourage you to mount passive resistance, and fight for what you truly believe in.Tell them of us. Es lebe die Freiheit.

TheWhite Rose resistance group was a circle of young people, and a professor, at the University of Munich duringWorldWar Two.These extraordinary people and their leader, Hans Scholl, wrote revolutionary pamphlets denouncing “Hitler and his cronies” and calling for the German people to “mount passive resistance.” TheWhite Rose knew that the atrocities that were being carried out were evil, and they act ed upon their instincts to do what they considered insignificant, but what history considers incredible. Their story has been told millions of times, inspiring countless across the world – myself included.At the heart of this group were five stu dents: Hans Scholl, Saint Alexander (Shurik) Schmorell, Sophie Scholl, Christoph (Christel) Probst, and Willi Graf. It is impossible to measure how effective a resistance group was by how many tanks it blew up, or whether a regime fell.TheWhite Rose were not only effective when it comes to the collapse of the Third Reich, but they also hold extreme symbolic importance – which should not be overlooked. cuted in 1943, and, in the words of Sophie, they all ‘chose their own way to burn’.They were brave and true right until the very end, none forfeiting any names or information, and with Sophie and Hans doing all that they could to protect Christoph – who had three children.Alas, Judge Roland Friesler, a man known for his unfeeling cruelty, ended their lives. But he did not, in any way, end what they stood for. It has been over two years since I first found out about TheWhite Rose. Even in this brief period, it would be impossible to overstate how much awe, Tragically, all of the previously mentioned members were exe

and pride, I hold for them.They have not only left me with an unwavering confidence that I am not alone in my pursuit for justice but continue to inspire me to keep their legacy alive.A legacy that – rest assured – will never perish. They started the fire, and it is our

Artwork: Ava Thomas, S9

resposibility to keep it burning.

Hans Scholl was the spark behind theWhite Rose Resistance. He had a strong moral sense, a love for literature, poetry, and writing. He also had a good sense of humour. But despite his incredible bravery, he was still human.

In 1942, he drafted the tragic essay, ‘Melancholy’, and states that he

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