August 28 - August 31, 1942.
Summary:
Even as Russian bombers pause their air raids near Ržev, the RAF intensifies its missions on the home front. The British audaciously undertake two air raids on the same night, August 28, attacking Nuremberg and Saarbrücken at the same time. Neither is successful.
Willi Graf takes advantage of the peace and quiet as Hans and Alex go fishing, and catches up on his correspondence. He pens a long letter to Marita Herfeldt, telling her of his work in the infectious diseases war. Willi also provides us with a candid snapshot of Alexander Schmorell’s impact on their lives. Schurik is more than interpreter. He is responsible for initiating the nights of singing that mean so much to Willi, and he explains Russian literature to them.
Willi figures out why he sometimes feels alienated from his friends. They are content to sit around and do nothing. He prefers having something to do, physical labor if at all possible. He says it’s not that he feels like working, rather that it beats the alternative.
On Monday, the last day of August 1942, Willi looks back over the six weeks that have gone before, and understands that it was important now, and it would be “critical for the days to come” that he is where he is, with precisely the people who surround him.
Gisela Schertling completes the first round of voluntary war work and now begins her second, obligatory service.
Sophie Scholl chafes at her munitions work and spares no one her strong opinions on the matter. When eating lunch with the Hirzel family, she uses the time as a soapbox to rant against Hitler and the war. Mrs. Hirzel is upset by what she perceives as Sophie’s disrespect.
Margarete Hirzel forbids her children from associating with the Scholls. Susanne Hirzel notes that her mother “watches her” to ensure she does not come into contact with Sophie.
Where Susanne had defended Sophie against detractors in the past, she is now put off by Sophie’s anger and negativity. Sophie can find nothing good to say about anything. Everything is target of her disdain and criticism. Susanne wonders at this, as to her, this represents a complete change of character from the person she had known and cared for.
Susanne seems unaware that not only was Sophie born in Forchtenberg, where Robert Scholl was run out of town for “immoral” behavior. But Margarete Hirzel likewise was born and raised in Forchtenberg. Mrs. Hirzel never tells Susanne what she knows of the Scholls that makes her so distrusting, and Susanne remains perplexed by her mother’s obstinacy.
Although Susanne does not cut off contact with Sophie completely, she does limit her association.
Whereas her mother’s warnings about the Scholls influence the compliant Susanne, they have the opposite effect on Hans Hirzel. The Scholl prohibition only piques Hans Hirzel’s interest. He makes it a prime objective to get closer to Hans and Sophie Scholl behind his mother’s back.
Why this matters:
Despite his nightmares from the horrors he has witnessed — especially in 1941/1942 — Willi Graf may have been one of the most emotionally stable friends of the White Rose circle. In this segment, we see one reason behind his ability to work through that PTSD: He remains physically active.
I like the fact that he says he does not feel like working, it’s just that he prefers physical exertion to the alternative.
You will see in subsequent chapters how he chops wood, makes repairs to their bunkers, volunteers to retrieve the wounded from the front lines. Alexander Schmorell similarly gets out and about, mingles with the locals.
This physical activity does not solve mental health issues, but it is a healthy start to doing so. When we are in the thick of mind-intensive labor, it’s helpful to take a break and do something physical. (I am preaching to myself here.)
When our mind is tired, exercise the body. When our body is tired, exercise the mind.Whatever it was that made Sophie Scholl so angry? Impacted her friendships and eventually, her effectiveness at their work. Her anger was not solely directed at social injustice. A small part of it was, but there was a deeper anger, the cause of which is blocked from view by Inge Scholl’s heavy-handed censorship.
This anger, combined with self-loathing, affects Sophie’s mental clarity. And eventually impairs her judgment.
White Rose History, Volume II, pages 175-178.
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