The White Rose was a non‑violent German resistance group that opposed Hitler’s Nazi regime during World War II. White Rose was founded in June 1942 at the University of Munich. It was led by a group of students and one professor who shared moral outrage at what the regime was doing. The group’s core members included siblings Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl, along with Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf, Christoph Probst, and psychology and philosophy professor Kurt Huber. Together they composed and circulated six anti‑Nazi leaflets between June 1942 and February 1943. These leaflets called for passive resistance and condemned atrocities committed against Jews and other victims of Nazi persecution, as well as the futility of the war and the dishonesty of Hitler’s regime. 

The leaflets would quote writers such as Goethe and Schiller in an effort to appeal to the conscience of the German people and challenge the regime’s propaganda and indoctrination. These authors were respected by all levels of German society and represented Germany’s cultural heritage. By invoking them, the White Rose connected their message to a tradition of German humanism, intellectual freedom, and moral responsibility. This helped counter Nazi propaganda, which claimed to represent the true spirit of Germany. This type of outward resistance was rare within Nazi Germany, where criticism of the regime could lead to execution. On February 18, 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl were caught while leaving leaflets at Munich University. The Gestapo arrested them along with Probst and later uncovered their connections to other members. 

In a “People’s Court” trial, Hans, Sophie, and Christoph Probst were sentenced to death for high treason and executed by guillotine on February 22, 1943, just four days after their arrest. It was a strong indication of how little tolerance the regime had for dissent. Kurt Huber and Alexander Schmorell were also executed later in 1943. 

Today, Sophie Scholl and the White Rose are national symbols of courage and resistance against tyranny. Sophie, in particular, represents the idea that individual conscience should win out over obedience to authority. The Geschwister‑Scholl‑Preis is a literary prize awarded annually since 1980 and honors works that promote human rights and moral courage. The resistance efforts of the White Rose illustrate the power of ideas against tyranny and the risks of standing against injustice. The novel uses verse to emphasize the characters’ emotional journeys and highlight the weight of their decision to turn against the Nazi regime.