Sophie and Hans riskily circulated the sixth pamphlet of the White Rose around their school, the University of Munich. They were soon suspected and were separately questioned. Their interrogations were given by Nazi criminologists and were at first rather a game of cat and mouse. After learning that her brother had confessed, Sophie defiantly admitted to opposing the Nazis, which she did so with utmost passion and boldness. Hans and Sophie, along with other White Rose member, Christoph Probst (who had a wife and three young children) were given a trial, if it can be even considered that. Taken to the People’s Court, usually reserved for the worst criminals, they were judged by Judge Friesler, a real man whose aggression and zeal for the Nazi way of life was obvious. He demanded to know why they opposed Hitler and his views and insulted them for being so selfish. Given scarcely a chance to speak, Friesler sentenced Sophie, Hans and Christoph to death, and they were executed with a guillotine that very same day.
The story of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Group is incredible. Even when they knew opposing the Nazis meant death, they still did it. Not because they wanted to rebel, but because they believed in standing strong in their beliefs. Throughout her whole interrogation and trial, Sophie was noble and strong, stressing that your conscience should always be your first and foremost accountability. Her Christian faith is evident as she regularly prays for strength in her predicament. I admire Sophie’s bravery as never once did she sway from her opinions and beliefs even when intimidation was ridiculously high. When she was offered a way out, if she kept her anti-war idea silent, she refused. Even when it was the highest risk to mankind, Sophie still spoke out.
We are exceptionally fortunate in Australia to receive minimal, if any, persecution for our beliefs. It’s hard to fathom what it was really like living in Nazi Germany. They had no freedom of speech. They had to fight to have a voice. We have a voice. So if you believe in something, remember Sophie. Remember that she had to fight to use hers, and in the end it killed her. You have one at no cost. So please use it. Our voice is the greatest weapon we have. Use it for good. Use it for worth. Don’t let it be wasted. Be bold and speak out. I know I want to. Sophie is my role model. She is incredibly admirable. She is a martyr.
In closing, here is a reminder that there is always hope, even when you feel that you do not have a voice. Although members of the White Rose had been killed, their message still went on. Their sixth pamphlet was smuggled out of Germany, through Scandinavia to the United Kingdom, where copies were made. Retitled “The Manifesto of Students in Munich”, in 1943, the Allies dropped millions of copies of the White Rose pamphlet over Nazi Germany, ensuring that Sophie still had a voice.
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