Sophia magdalena scholl 9 may 1921 22 february 1943 was a german student and antinazi political activist, active within the white rose nonviolent resistance group in nazi germany she was convicted of high treason after having been found distributing antiwar leaflets at the university of munich lmu with her brother, hans. The final days i received an email from ruth hanna sachs of the center for white rose studies taking serious issue with aspects of the movie. Hans and sophie scholl and their friends knew what would happen to them if they were caught. Beheaded by the nazis at age 21, sophie scholl died. Sophie scholl and the white rose by annette dumbach. Our protagonist is sophie scholl, who along with her brother hans distributed antinazi leaflets throughout the university of munich. Scholl was a member of the white rose, a small, anonymous group of mostly university students who hoped that by distributing leaflets and graffitiing public spaces. Excerpts of the letters and the diaries of hans and sophie scholl are collected in at the heart of the white rose, edited by inge jens. It is about the last days in the life of sophie scholl, a 21yearold member of the anti nazi nonviolent student resistance group the white rose, part of the.
A case study in dissent in nazi germany curriculum guide for the film, sophie scholl. Apr 02, 2017 this peaceful white rose resistance movement named after a symbol intended to represent purity and innocence in the face of evil was founded, organized, and led by five german young people, including 20yearold munich university student sophie scholl. The questions are asked by robert mohr alexander held, a provincial who has risen in rank under the nazis and wears a little lapel pin proclaiming his patriotism. The final days is a long interrogation conducted across a desk in a police headquarters. What is now an iconic scene in every movie and documentary about the. This page is devoted to the story of sophie scholl and the white rose, told in the book by the same name. Sophie scholl stars julia jentsch in a luminous performance as the fearless activist of the underground student resistance group, the white rose.
The book is entitled the white rose, munich 1942 1943. People began receiving copies of the leaflets in the mail. Today in germany, one of the most popular heroes is sophie scholl. Sophie scholl and the white rose movement all about history.
Sophia magdalena scholl 9 may 1921 22 february 1943 was a german student and antinazi political activist, active within the white rose nonviolent resistance group in nazi germany. The white rose a lesson in dissent jewish virtual library. The white rose may not have achieved much, but it is nevertheless fondly remembered as an inspired and daring retort to the wave of national socialism in germany at the time. Beheaded by the nazis at age 21, sophie scholl died fighting.
Armed with longburied historical records of her incarceration, director marc rothemund expertly recreates the last six days of sophie scholls life. In 1943, she was caught delivering antiwar propaganda and, with her brother hans scholl, was executed for high treason. Sophie scholl and the white rose the national wwii museum. This 2005 german film, winner of numerous awards, is presented with english subtitles. A full account of the white rose by two historians is entitled shattering the german night, by annette e. Sophia scholl was a german student, active in the white rose a nonviolent resistance group to hitler and the nazi party. Sophie scholl is the fearless activist of the underground student resistance group, the white rose. Using historical records of her incarceration, the film recreates the last six days of sophie scholl s life. Jul 01, 1986 sophie scholl and the white rose frustrated me from beginning to end. Jun 16, 2015 sophies sister inge wrote the story of her siblings movement in her book the white rose. At the heart of the white rose is a compilation of letters and diary entries shared between a brother and sister during the infamous reign of adolf hitler. Together, they participate in a nonviolent, intellectual resistance group. Sophies sister inge scholl documented her execution in her book the white rose.
Internal dissent was quickly and efficiently smashed by the gestapo. Literature below produced by the white rose student resistors is embedded in scholl siblings. Jordan words came to mind after viewing sophie schollthe final days. This film bears witness to the courage of two young germans, hans and sophie scholl, who because of their faith in jesus christ and at the. The first four leaflets leaflets of the white rose were written between march 1942 and july 1942. At the heart of the white rose by hans and sophie scholl.
The final days is a remarkable movie, both for how it brings life to a historical character and for how it demonstrates steadfast, nonviolent resistance, animated by. Not because of the facts collected within, which were fascinating in themselves, but because the format and style of the novel was so juvenile and convoluted that i was unable to concentrate on the story itself. Sophie scholl and the white rose movement resistance to hitlers regime came in all shapes and sizes over the third reichs lifetime. To read or to tell her story is like watching a tragic movie over and over again, hoping against hope that this time she will escape. The final days, authored june, 2006 by vicky knickerbocker and edited by dr. How sophie scholls white rose movement fought the nazis. The answers come from sophie scholl julia jentsch, a student of biology and. With julia jentsch, fabian hinrichs, alexander held, johanna gastdorf. A bust of sophie scholl above greets visitors at the museum about her at munich university. S uch a fine, sunny day, and i have to go, 21yearold sophie scholl lamented, before she was guillotined by the nazis. Shortly before i moved to germany i saw a film that has stayed with me for years. Pamphlets surround the university of munich in commemoration. The white rose has also been featured in other documentaries, movies, and books.
This sparked my interest on the final days of sophie scholl and i found out much from researching and reading newspapers from the period. Protesting in the name of principles hitler thought he had killed forever, sophie scholl and other members of the white rose realized that the germanization hitler sought to enforce was cruel and inhuman, and that they could not be content to remain silent in its midst. Authenticated newsarchive photosgetty images white rose members hans scholl left and his sister, sophie scholl. Sophies acts are now considered courageous throughout germany and the university of munich has a square dedicated to the white rose. Sophie scholl has become an important symbol of antinazi resistance in germany. The final days takes the viewer through the events of february, 1943 in nazi germany, and follows the experience of members of the german student resistance group, the white rose.
This time, the power of her testimony will shame her nazi captors and they will let her go. A dramatization of the final days of sophie scholl, one of the most famous members of the german world war ii antinazi resistance movement, the white rose. Sophie, her brother, and the other members of the white rose are true heroes who had the courage to stand up and speak out against injustice. Sophie scholl and the white rose movement, while less known to. Rothemund of the third wave is not the first to deal with the title figure of his. Nazis executed sophie scholl 74 years ago this week. Authors were hans scholl and alexander schmorell, though it is possible that sophie scholl and christoph probst contributed to the texts. Sophie scholl the final days is a 2005 german historical drama film directed by marc rothemund and written by fred breinersdorfer. Sophie scholl and the white rose quotes showing 14 of 4 at one stopover on the train journey home, hans told his sister inge later, he saw a young girl with the star of david on her breast.
The final days recounted the story of a group of german students in munich in world war ii. Sophie scholl and the white rose the international raoul. Jul 16, 20 streets and places are named after the scholls and the white rose. Sophie scholl and the white rose quotes by annette dumbach. Arrested for participating in the white rose resistance movement, antinazi activist sophie scholl julia jentsch is subjected to a highly charged interrogation by the gestapo, testing her loyalty to her cause, her family and her convictions. The nazi regime maintained an iron grip over german society. It is about the last days in the life of sophie scholl, a 21yearold member of the antinazi nonviolent student resistance group the white rose, part of the german resistance movement. White rose was the name of the tiny resistance group that sprang up in nazi germany from june 1942 until february 1943. Sophie scholl the final days, is mainly centered in the final six days of sophie and han scholl and other members of the white rose an antinazi group after being caught on a universitys. The scholl siblings had been arrested three days earlier and undergone nearly constant interrogation by. Jun 08, 2008 in response to last fridays feature on sophie scholl.
The members of the white rose, of course, had to act cautiously. Within the united states, sophie magdalena scholl is not the bestknown resistance fighter, but her story is a powerful one. Sophie scholl stood toe to toe against the nazis and refused to submit to their authority knowing it meant her certain death. Rating is available when the video has been rented. Sophie scholl and the white rose margie burns at the age of 21, sophie scholl was executed by the peoples court in germany on feb. Sperbers 1980 speech and those from 198392, with the exception of 1984, are collected in. Hans and sophie scholl, born in germany, are young people on a mission. In particular, the way the film presents sophie and hans as the leaders of the white rose, and takes its cues from the version of events propogated. Sophie scholl was just 21 years old when she was executed along with her brother, 24yearold hans scholl, on feb.
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