Who was Sophie Scholl? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

German Celebrities Born In May

Also Known As: Sophia Magdalena Scholl

Died At Age: 21

Family:

father: Robert Scholl

mother: Magdalena Scholl

siblings: Elisabeth Hartnagel, Hans Scholl, Inge Scholl, Thilde Scholl, Werner Scholl

Died Young Political Activists

Died on: February 22, 1943

place of death: Munich, Germany

Cause of Death: Execution

More Facts

education: Ludwig Maximilian University Of Munich

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1

What was the White Rose resistance group led by Sophie Scholl?

The White Rose was a non-violent, anti-Nazi resistance group in Germany during World War II, led by Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans.
2

What was the main goal of the White Rose group?

The main goal of the White Rose group was to distribute leaflets and pamphlets that exposed the atrocities of the Nazi regime and encouraged Germans to resist Hitler's rule.
3

How did Sophie Scholl and the White Rose group distribute their anti-Nazi propaganda?

Sophie Scholl and the White Rose group distributed their anti-Nazi propaganda by secretly printing leaflets and distributing them in public places such as universities and telephone booths.
4

What led to the arrest and eventual execution of Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans?

Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans were arrested by the Gestapo after being caught distributing leaflets at the University of Munich. They were sentenced to death for treason and executed by guillotine in 1943.
5

What impact did Sophie Scholl and the White Rose group have on the German resistance movement?

Sophie Scholl and the White Rose group are remembered as symbols of resistance against tyranny and injustice. Their actions inspired others to resist the Nazi regime and continue to serve as a reminder of the importance of standing up for one's beliefs.

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Childhood & Early Life

Sophie Scholl was born as Sophia Magdalena Scholl on May 9, 1921, in Forchtenberg, Germany, to Robert Scholl and Magdalena Müller. Her father was the elected mayor of Forchtenberg.

Robert was an idealistic man with liberal values. He brought about positive changes to his town during his stint as the mayor. In 1930, he was replaced as the mayor of Forchtenberg, following which he moved to Ludwigsburg with his family. Two years later, the family settled in Ulm where Sophie spent her teenage years.

While attending secondary school in 1932, she became aware of the political situation in Germany. She was highly inspired by the ways of her family, friends, and teachers, who opposed Hitler’s views and the development of his party. She also chose her friends carefully so as to share the same political views. Moreover, her brothers and friends were captured by the regime in 1937 during the ‘German Youth Movement’ which left a strong impact on her.

As a teenager, Sophie also became highly interested in art and painting. She started studying the works of many revolutionary artists, who were expressing their views against Nazi Germany. During her late teenage years, she became interested in theology and philosophy.

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Dissent against the Nazis

In 1940, she noticed that her school had started promoting Hitler’s views. Sophie did not take long to realize that Hitler was having a major influence on Germany’s education system. She dropped out of school and started working at a Kindergarten in Ulm. She then joined the ‘National Labor Service’ for six months. The rigid military-like environment in the ‘National Labor Service’ made her rethink about the totalitarian regime of the entire country.

After serving ‘National Labor Service,’ she enrolled at the ‘University of Munich’ in 1942 to study biology and philosophy. Her older brother Hans was also pursuing his medical education from the same university and he introduced her to some of his friends.

She became part of her brother’s social group which consisted of artists, philosophers, thinkers, and theologizers. They were basically a young group of people who abhorred the Nazis. They went to concerts, movies, and even traveled together. They then became active in carrying out various anti-Nazi activities.

By 1942, Sophie had met with artists and philosophers, such as Carl Muth and Theodor Haecker who became her friends. They mostly held discussions on how a free person should act under a dictatorial regime. By then, her father was imprisoned for making an anti-Hitler remark in front of one of his employees. The constant violation of freedom of expression turned Sophie into a revolutionary, prompting her to participate in activities against the Nazis.

The White Rose Movement

‘University of Munich’ was the place where the ‘White Rose Movement’ was initiated in 1942 by some students and teachers. The movement did not propagate violence but instead organized a series of peaceful anti-war and anti-Nazi protests. The activists participating in the movement distributed leaflets and came up with graffiti on the walls of the university to encourage more people to take part in their movement.

Sophie was unaware of the movement until she found a leaflet on the ground, which prompted her to enquire about it. Sophie joined the movement immediately after figuring out that her brother Hans had written the leaflet.

Around the same time, she learned about the mass murder of Jews and other barbaric acts of violence organized by the Nazi army. She discussed the activities of the Nazi in detail through letters with her then-boyfriend Fritz Hartnagel. These letters, which were filled with hatred towards the regime, would later become evidence to accuse Sophie of being an anti-national. Sophie also played a prominent role in getting more pamphlets printed and distributing them around the university campus.

Her brother Hans was a key member in the ‘White Rose Movement.’ However, he had kept Sophie away from the movement for her own safety. But Sophie argued that having a woman in the group will be beneficial for the movement as a woman had much lower chance of being arrested by the regime.

The pamphlets, which were distributed in the streets of Germany, called for peaceful protests against the Nazi forces. They used philosophical and intellectual arguments to establish their point. From writing and distributing the pamphlets to managing finances, Sophie was actively involved in almost every aspect of the group’s activities.

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Death & Legacy

On February 18, 1943, all the members of ‘White Rose Movement’ were arrested. No testimony was allowed for the defendants and they were not given an opportunity to defend themselves. They were sentenced to death on February 22, 1943.

They were beheaded at the ‘Stadelheim Prison’ just a few hours after their sentence was announced. During her final few minutes, Sophie Scholl stood tall and said that her death would be of no use if it did not awaken thousands of people.

‘The Allied Forces’ used the sixth ‘White Rose’ leaflet to gather moral strength for their war against the Nazis. ‘The White Rose Movement’ came to be known as a political and social movement of bravery as it was held in a country where dissent meant death.

Honors

Sophie Scholl was showered with honors after her demise. ‘The Scholl Siblings Institute’ was set up at the ‘Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich’ to pay respect to Sophie and her brother Hans. Many local schools, parks, and streets have also been named after Sophie and Hans.

In 2003, a competition was held by television broadcaster ‘ZDF’ to find out who the young Germans thought was the most important German of all time. Sophie and Hans were voted as the fourth entries on the list.

In Mass Media

Starting from the 1970s, many films have been made on Sophie Scholl. In February 2005, the film ‘Sophie Scholl – The Final Days’ was released. The film was based on the secret archives that were found in 1990. In January 2006, the film was nominated for the ‘Best Foreign Language Film’ at the ‘Academy Awards.’ Several books, plays, and songs have also been released on Sophie and her heroics.

Facts About Sophie Scholl

Sophie Scholl was a key member of the White Rose resistance group in Nazi Germany, known for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets and speaking out against the regime.

She was a talented artist and studied biology and philosophy at the University of Munich before becoming involved in resistance activities.

Sophie Scholl was known for her courage and unwavering commitment to her beliefs, even in the face of severe consequences.

She used her creativity to spread messages of peace and resistance, showing that even in the darkest times, individuals can make a difference.

Sophie Scholl's legacy continues to inspire people around the world to stand up against injustice and oppression.

Sophie Scholl Biography

You wanted to know

What was the White Rose resistance group led by Sophie Scholl?

What was the main goal of the White Rose group?

How did Sophie Scholl and the White Rose group distribute their anti-Nazi propaganda?

What led to the arrest and eventual execution of Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans?

What impact did Sophie Scholl and the White Rose group have on the German resistance movement?