June 26, 1942 - June 28, 1942.
Summary:
Willi Graf struggled with his second abscessed tooth. Despite the pain, he still visited Hans Friedmann in the hospital and joined friends at the Siegfriedstrasse to prepare for Sunday’s Mass.
Hans, Sophie, Alex, and Christl get the first leaflet out the door. They target intelligentsia and academics, although they also send Leaflet I to innkeepers and tavern owners, hoping those two “groups” would talk about the content of the leaflet with their guests.
Hans Scholl later told the Gestapo that he believed the intelligentsia had failed Germany, both from 1918-1933, as well as in 1933. He therefore was compelled to consciously commit treason, althoug he would have rather mobilized positive forces within Germany to fight for a national form that was worth striving for.
When Hans Hirzel received Leaflet I, he recognized a debate over the “wheel of history” that he had had with Hans Scholl in January 1942. Only in the leaflet, Hans Scholl argued the point that Hans Hirzel had made at that time. That made the younger boy feel heard. Hans Scholl had reversed course based on their conversation!
The four students, working alone in Alexander Schmorell’s bedroom, knew that what they were doing was treason. It was not “patriotism” or courage of their convictions. They worked, knowing that in the eyes of the law, they were traitors.
As Hans Scholl would later say, “I knew what I took upon myself and I was prepared to lose my life by so doing.” He spoke for all of them.
Why This Matters:
When we try to change our country, change political direction, advocate for civil and human rights, protest on behalf of causes we deem just and right, it can be difficult to correctly identify the target audience that will listen and take our message to heart.
If we take someone’s words to heart and revise or update our message to reflect their insights, it will make them feel seen, feel heard. Knowing that Hans Scholl had not only grasped his argument about the “wheel of history,” but changed his mind and written that into Leaflet I? Hans Hirzel may not have overcome his addiction or insecurities, but it gave him renewed hope and purpose.
Has someone you look up to ever revised or updated their message based on an argument you’ve made? If so, how did it make you feel? And when you feel strongly about a cause - whether at your high school, university, or in a public forum - how do you determine your best target audience? Talk about it in the comments!
White Rose History, Volume II, pages 77-79.
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