Women of the White Rose (collected posts)
Pinning this to the top. Collection of all posts related to women of the White Rose.
Katharina Schüddekopf – Käthe to her friends. Kurt Huber was her Doktorvater. She was one of the few who participated in the July 1942 discussion regarding how they should proceed once the student-soldiers returned from Russia.
Tilly Hahn - Eugen Grimminger’s assistant and certified tax advisor. She acted as go-between, taking money, supplies, and a duplicating machine to the students in Munich.
Lilli Holl - As I reached a low point in this work, I ran across Lilli’s story and was once again awed by her steadfast courage. She endured beatings for not joining the Jungmädel or League of German Girls. Close friend of Otl Aicher, she too was able to forgive the Scholls their abuse. She shows up in the White Rose story at significant intervals and should not be overlooked.
Traute Lafrenz - Core of White Rose, Traute was likely the person whose arrival in Munich spurred them to action. She had already been involved in leaflet campaigns long before Munich. In Part 1, I look at her life from early youth to April 1942. Part 2 is coming soon. Link will be added. In Part 3, she speaks “in her own words” about her rearrest in March 1944 through her liberation in April 1945 (document from 1946). — In Memoriam for Traute.
Lilo Ramdohr - Niece of one of the few judges who incurred Hitler’s wrath by resigning after the unconstitutional Enabling Act, Lilo felt like an outcast among the rest of her family. Falk Harnack - Arvid Harnack’s brother - was close friend. She provided bridge to the Harnacks. Her home was safe haven for friends who were involved in dangerous activities. Her story is coming soon and link will be added.
Susanne Hirzel - Responsible for distribution of leaflets in Stuttgart. Her memoirs and Gestapo interrogation transcripts provide keen insight into White Rose friendships and activities. In her later years, she joined her brother Hans Hirzel in neo-Nazi politics, especially anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant rhetoric and became a darling of the far right in Germany. She disavowed her White Rose connections. Her story is coming soon and link will be added.
Regine Degkwitz - Regine was to Willi Graf and Hubert Furtwängler what Lilo Ramdohr was to Alexander Schmorell and Hans Scholl. She participated in the same concerts and ensembles as those two better-known friends, and her apartment was often the scene of late-night treasonous discussions. Her story is coming soon and link will be added.
Elisabeth Hartnagel nee Scholl - Elisabeth was never directly involved in White Rose activities. But where Hans and Sophie never invited Inge to their home in Munich because of her ardent Nazi beliefs, Elisabeth spent time with her siblings. Including the last couple of weeks before their arrests. Her insights were long blocked by Inge, but give personal insight to her siblings’ state of mind. Her story is coming soon and link will be added.
Sophie Scholl - Her story is coming soon and link will be added.
Traute Lafrenz Page was the mother of one of my friends and colleagues, Renee Page Meyer. Ms. Page just died earlier this month just prior to her 104th birthday. I did not know about her history until her death.
Thank you so much for this summary! I look forward to seeing this article updated. I didn't know you had enough material to tell us about Regine Degkwitz. I really look forward to learning more about her.
I know this is not the subject of this article, but I would also very much like to learn more about Hubert Furtwangler, who is both on everyone's lips and on none. Perhaps it could be the subject of a future article? In any case, I am delighted to see you back, Madam Heap. I look forward to hearing from you again soon!