Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

You have probably seen the TV commercials about the new movie opening this weekend, End of the Spear, detailing the martyrdom of five missionaries fifty years ago in Ecuador that was recounted in Elisabeth Elliot's Through Gates of Splendor. Let me tip you off to another MUST SEE movie coming out in February here in the states, Sophie Scholl: The Final Days.

This German-language film is the German entry for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award this year. It is the true story of one of the few resistance movements in Nazi Germany, Die Weiße Rose (The White Rose), which was led by a small circle of University of Munich students.

The heart of the group was composed of 22-year old Sophie Scholl, her older brother, Hans, and a friend, Chrisoph Probst. For a one year period in 1943-1943, they secretly published a series of fliers critizing the Nazi war effort in the wake of the German Army defeat at Stalingrad.

In February 1943, Hans and Christopher covertly painted anti-Hitler slogans around the University, which roused the attention of the Nazi authorities. Then on February 18, Hans and Sophie were distributing the sixth flier around the campus when they were spotted by a custodian who contacted the Gestapo, and the Scholls were immediately taken into custody. After six days of extensive interrogation, Hans, Sophie and Christoph appeared before Hitler's "Volksgerichtshof" (People's Court) on February 22nd, presided over by famous Nazi "hanging judge", Roland Freisler. Promptly convicted of treason against the Nazi state, the three were transported back to the prison, given a final moment together, and all three executed by guillotine. Eventually, three others would sacrifice their lives for their involvement in the White Rose resistance: Willi Graf, Alexander Schmorell, and Kurt Huber.

The upcoming movie recounts the last six days of Sophie Scholl's life reconstructed on new documentary evidence about their trial and last days in custody. If you click to the movie link above, you can see a trailer for the film. The movie opens in late February. Be warned, there is no happy ending here. Another warning: the movie is in German with English subtitles. That notwithstanding, it is a MUST SEE movie. Especially for your teenagers.

A few quick thoughts: One of the most important themes I gather from this story is that we can be pushed into such a position culturally that our only weapon is our refusal. The story of the White Rose is also a testament to the thousands of little compromises by conscientious German citizens that allowed the Nazi regime to accumulate so much political, social, educational and religious power that resulted in the death of tens of millions during World War II. If you think it can't happen here, you're not paying attention. I'm reminded of Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty, or give me death" speech. At one point he asks, "is life so dear, or peace so sweet to be purchased at the price of slavery and chains?" The legacy of the White Rose martyrs is that it is not.

Three books I own and have read on the topic are: A Noble Treason: The Revolt of the Munich Students Against Hitler, by Richard Hanser; At the Heart of the White Rose, by Inge Jens; and The White Rose: Munich 1942-1943, by the sister of Hans and Sophie Scholl, Inge Scholl. All are recommended.

Below is a photo of Sophie and Hans Scholl with Christoph Probst.