Inge Scholl
Inge Scholl, the daughter of Robert Scholl, the mayor of Forchtenberg, was born on 11th August, 1917. A student at the University of Munich, she became increasingly critical of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi government.
In 1942 she joined with Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf and Jugen Wittenstein. to form the White Rose group. Kurt Huber, a philosophy teacher at the university, was also a member of the group.
The group decided to adopt the strategy of passive resistance that was being used by students fighting against racial discrimination in the United States. This included the publishing leaflets calling for the restoration of democracy and social justice. These were distributed throughout central Germany and the Gestapo soon became aware of the group's activities. Sophie also joined the group and over the next few months began distributing pamphlets attacking the Nazi regime.
In 1943 the White Rose group published several leaflets calling for the restoration of democracy and social justice. These were distributed throughout central Germany and the Gestapo soon became aware of the group's activities.
In Passive Resistance to National Socialism , published in 1943 the group explained the reasons why they had formed the White Rose group: "We want to try and show that everyone is in a position to contribute to the overthrow of the system. It can be done only by the cooperation of many convinced, energetic people - people who are agreed as to the means they must use. We have no great number of choices as to the means. The meaning and goal of passive resistance is to topple National Socialism, and in this struggle we must not recoil from our course, any action, whatever its nature. A victory of fascist Germany in this war would have immeasurable, frightful consequences."
The White Rose group believed that the young people of Germany had the potential to overthrow Adolf Hitler and the Nazi government. In one leaflet, Fellow Fighters in the Resistance , they wrote: "The name of Germany is dishonoured for all time if German youth does not finally rise, take revenge, smash its tormentors. Students! The German people look to us."
On 18th February, three members of the group, Sophie Scholl, Hans Scholl and Christoph Probst decided to abandon clandestine methods and openly distributed leaflets in the university. They were arrested and four days later the three comrades appeared before the People's Court judge, Roland Friesler. Found guilty they were executed by guillotine a few hours later.
Inge and her parents were also arrested and imprisoned. Over the next few weeks Kurt Huber, Alexander Schmorell, Willi Graf , Jugen Wittenstein and over eighty others suspected of being members of the White Rose group were taken into custody. Huber, Graff and Schmorell were all found guilty of sedition and were executed.
Inge was eventually released and she married Otl Aicher. After the war Inge and Otl founded a school in the city of Ulm for adult education. Inge was head of the school from 1946 to 1974. She also wrote a book about the White Rose group, Students Against Tyranny (1952).
In the 1980s Aicher-Scholl was a leading figure in the German peace movement and was heavily involved in the campaign against the stationing of US nuclear missiles in Germany. In 1985 she was arrested for taking part in a sit-in at the American Pershing II missile base in Mutlangen. Inge Aicher-Scholl died of cancer on 4th September, 1998.
Primary Sources
(1) Extract from the third leaflet published by White Rose (1942)
Many, perhaps most, of the readers of these leaflets do not see clearly how they can practise an effective opposition. They do not see any avenues open to them. We want to try and show them that everyone is in a position to contribute to the overthrow of the system. It can be done only by the cooperation of many convinced, energetic people -people who are agreed as to the means they must use. We have no great number of choices as to the means. The only one available is passive resistance. The meaning and goal of passive resistance is to topple National Socialism, and in this struggle we must not recoil from our course, any action, whatever its nature. A victory of fascist Germany in this war would have immeasurable, frightful consequences. We cannot provide each man with the blueprint for his acts, we can only suggest them in general terms.
(2) Inge Scholl, Students Against Tyranny (1952)
What the circle of the White Rose strove for was increasing public consciousness of the real nature and actual situation of National Socialism. They wanted to encourage passive resistance among wide circles of the populace. In the circumstances, a tight, closely knit organization would not have succeeded. The panicked fear of the people in the face of the constant threat of Gestapo intervention and the ubiquity and thoroughness of the surveillance system were the strongest obstacles. On the other hand, it still seemed possible, by means of anonymous dissemination of information, to create the impression that the Führer no longer enjoyed solid support and that there was general ferment.
(3) Newsday (6th September, 1998)
Inge Aicher-Scholl, 81, a champion of nonviolence whose siblings were murdered by the Nazis in 1943, died in Germany Friday of complications from cancer. A tireless teacher and spokeswoman against violence, Mrs. Aicher-Scholl wrote several books on an anti-Nazi student group in Munich known as the "White Rose," which was led by her siblings, Hans and Sophie Scholl. After the Nazis murdered the two, they also jailed Mrs. Aicher-Scholl, her parents and her other sister for several months. After the war, Mrs. Aicher-Scholl and some friends, including her future husband, designer Otl Aicher, founded a school in the city of Ulm for adult education and art. Mrs. Aicher-Scholl headed the school from 1946 to 1974. In the 1980s, she gained notoriety through her work in the peace movement, resisting the stationing of U.S. nuclear missiles in Germany. In 1985, she was arrested for taking part in a sit-in at the American Pershing II missile base at the southern town of Mutlangen.