It’s not common that I have met someone who has heard of Sophie Scholl and her part in the White Rose resistance group. Until recently, I knew close to nothing about how the White Rose group resisted, but upon learning about Scholl and her peers, it seems there is a lot to be learned that can be applied to our modern-day heightened political environment. Scholl and her peers should be included in every history curriculum.  

Sophie Scholl was a German political activist in Nazi Germany who was one of the masterminds behind the White Rose group. This group aimed to resist Hitler and the Third Reich via the spread of controversial leaflets on college campuses, public spaces, and mailed in large quantities. 

Scholl and many of the other resistance group members would have been considered “Aryan” by Hitler’s standards (blond hair, blue eyes, and not Jewish), meaning that they could have let their privilege make them complacent. They didn’t do that though. Scholl and others resisted despite the massive consequences they could, and eventually did, face. 

Some members even started out as Nazi sympathizers, Scholl and her brother, Hans, being among them. The more that they saw the way their Jewish friends were treated and all of the harsh realities that came with the Nazi regime, the more they realized that they had to change their course of action. 

Almost all of the “White Rose” members were men, with the exception of Sophie Scholl. This makes Scholl’s participation in particular that much more impactful. She not only risked her life by helping draft and spread controversial leaflets, but she also had to face the misogynistic prejudices of her male counterparts, meaning that her convictions had to be so strong that they survived constant testing.

After many successful rounds of leaflets being spread, Scholl and her fellow resistance members were unfortunately arrested. On Feb. 22, 1943, Scholl, her brother Hans, and her peer Christoph Probst were executed for their actions. The rest of the members of the White Rose were also executed at a later date. 

It is very easy in our country’s heightened political environment to feel discouraged or overwhelmed when faced with occurrence after occurrence of wrongdoing. When flooded with constant negative headlines, I have found myself feeling small and like no matter what I do, it won’t make a difference. Scholl serves as a reminder that oftentimes words and ideas are the fiercest form of resistance. Even the seemingly small and insignificant actions can have a monumental impact.  

We should exercise our ability to share our opinions and speak out whenever possible, especially when marginalized communities are at risk. After all, many people living in Germany in the years before Hitler’s rise to power might not have guessed what would have become of Germany’s political state. Complacency can lead to disastrous outcomes, and the power of speaking out should be exercised whenever possible.  

Since history is bound to repeat itself, Scholl’s story should be cemented in history curricula as a reminder of the importance of speaking up when faced with tyranny.