Key points
- 01 Sophie Scholl joined the White Rose in 1942, a student resistance group in Munich that wrote and distributed leaflets denouncing Nazi crimes across Germany.
- 02 On 18 February 1943, she publicly threw leaflets from a university gallery in Munich, an act of deliberate defiance that led directly to her arrest by the Gestapo.
- 03 Sentenced to death and executed by guillotine on 22 February 1943 at the age of 21, she remains a global symbol of moral courage against tyranny.
01
Nazi Germany: a state of terror
For years, the Nazi regime ruled through propaganda, surveillance, and fear. Society was tightly controlled by the Gestapo, and opposition was brutally repressed. Dissent became almost impossible. Any resistance was rare, dangerous, and punishable by death.
02
From enrolled to dissident
Born in 1921, Sophie Scholl grew up in a Protestant family opposed to Nazism. As a teenager, she joined the Hitler Youth, like many young Germans at the time, before gradually rejecting its ideology. Influenced by philosophy, religion, and moral reflection, she developed a strong personal conscience that led her to resist the regime.
03
The White Rose resistance network
In 1942, in Munich, Sophie joined the White Rose, a student resistance group founded by her brother Hans Scholl and Alexander Schmorell. The group wrote and distributed leaflets denouncing Nazi crimes and calling for passive resistance based on moral and intellectual arguments.
04
A nationwide distribution strategy
The White Rose organised a distribution network across Germany. Sophie helped print and send leaflets anonymously to different cities, and distributed them by hand. The group mainly targeted intellectuals and academics, hoping to awaken moral opposition to the regime.
05
A public act of defiance
On February 18, 1943, Sophie and her brother distributed leaflets at Munich University. Before leaving, Sophie threw the remaining copies from an upper gallery into the atrium. This bold act made their resistance visible. She was arrested by the Gestapo the same day.
06
Arrest and execution
After a short interrogation and trial, Sophie Scholl was sentenced to death. She was executed by guillotine on February 22, 1943, at the age of 21.
07
A symbol of courage
Today, Sophie Scholl remains a symbol of moral courage and resistance to tyranny. Her actions continue to inspire people around the world to stand up against injustice.
« Somebody, after all, had to make a start. »
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