July 1 - July 4, 1942.
Summary:
Hans Scholl and Alexander Schmorell write Leaflet III. As with Leaflet II, Hans pens the “philosophical” part of the leaflet, appealing to fellow citizens’ “moral duty” to put an end to the System. He evokes images from the US Declaration of Independence, especially the right of every individual to enjoy freedom, as well as the common good. He uses the well-known phrase, “pursuit of happiness” to make his point.
Alex on the other hand, continues his insistent you already know language. He starts from the premise that every German knows their government is so corrupt, it must be overthrown. He offers them practical advice on how to proceed.
First, he recites his sabotage liturgy, demanding that Germans sabotage armaments factories, intellectual activities that support National Socialism, cultural events, fine arts, as well as literature and newspapers on the Nazi payroll.
Second, Alex asks Germans not to give money to charity, to the Red Cross, or to various collections of metal and textiles, since those “charitable” organizations funnel their money to the Nazi Party.
Alex later tells his Gestapo interrogator that he does not see this leaflet as a call to treason, even though he intended it to call German soldiers to disrupt the war effort.
After mailing Leaflet III, the four students take a short break. They have been working almost nonstop.
Alex accompanies Lilo to Chiemsee. He tells her that he is disturbed over Hans Scholl’s treatment of Traute Lafrenz. Katharina Schüddekopf shares Alex’s concern, as she watches her friend Traute pull away from the group and keep more to herself.
The estrangement hurts both Traute, who needs their friendship, and the White Rose friends, who need Traute.
On July 4, 1942, after finally having his rotten tooth pulled, Willi Graf tells his diary, “I need people around me, don’t I?”
Why This Matters:
Professor Dr. Richard Harder, whom the Gestapo retained to analyze the leaflets and profile its author, critiqued Alex’s call to sabotage the intellectual side of German life, not its war industry. My first several read-throughs of the leaflets, I agreed with Harder’s assessment. But with time, I wonder if perhaps Alex’s approach were not more effective. Without cultural events, newspapers, mass (and now social) media, fine arts - all in service to a despotic regime - there’s little support for a war industry. Because despots use intellectual and cultural (and charitable) experiences and “happenings” to bolster their war efforts.
Working through this phase of their work for the millionth time, I am struck anew by how their work was rendered less effective because of personal squabbles and slights. It wasn’t just Traute and Raimund (and eventually Willi) who needed them. The friends needed more helpers!
How do we as flawed human beings keep personal feelings out of the mix when working for social justice or other causes we believe in? If you have been involved in a situation where a key member of your action group has been marginalized, please talk about it in the comments. Was the situation remedied? How did the personal interactions affect the ongoing work?
The first point about cultural events and media propping up war efforts through propaganda is almost too obvious, but please document your observations anyway. If you see it differently, please note that as well in the comments! Have you ever caught yourself “supporting” a cause that goes against your core beliefs because of something you’ve been exposed to in a movie, on the news, on social media?
White Rose History, Volume II, pages 96-98.
Notes and references available only to paid subscribers.
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Why This Matters to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
