"Since the conquest of Poland, 300,000 Jews have been murdered in this country in the most bestial way… The German people slumber on in dull, stupid sleep and encourage the fascist criminals. Each wants to be exonerated of guilt, each one continues on his way with the most placid, calm conscience. But he cannot be exonerated; he is guilty, guilty, guilty!”
— 2nd leaflet of the White Rose.
Have you ever heard of The White Rose? They being the German resistance group that defied Nazi Germany. They also being the chief inspiration for this weeks poem. Despite having a B.A. in History, I somehow had never heard of them until I heard the song "
Holland 1945" from Neutral Milk Hotel's brilliant album
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.
As the song recounts the death of Anne Frank and her family, the final lyric goes, "And it's so sad to see, the world agree, that they'd rather see their faces filled with flies, all when I'd want to keep white roses in their eyes." As I began to obsess over this album, I began reading about the song's influences. Jeff Mangum, lead singer and writer of the song was asked if the final line of his song was a reference to the German resistance movement. Ironically, he had never heard of them but this White Rose piqued my curiosity.
I researched the White Rose and was fascinated by their boldness in the face of the Nazi Regime. This group of men and women distributed anti-Nazi pamphlets in Germany and were beheaded for it. They saw the madness around them and knew that their nation was doing something terrible. When they spoke out against it, they lost their lives. Today, they are considered heroes of Germany.
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| Sophie Scholl on Trial |
Of heroism the world should know
Of freedoms light and how it can glow
Of resistance in the face of foes
Standing brave, is the White Rose
To think for them what sedition brings
Freedom took them to the guillotine
Their bloodless battle can’t go unseen
For all should know what the White Rose means
Huber, Graf, and Wittenstein,
In darkness they made freedom shine
Probst with Hans and Sophie Scholl
Made Germany ponder liberty's role
Amidst the backdrop of tyranny
Where the world would face adversity
They printed papers of freedom’s plea
To wake the conscience of Germany
In secret they would take freedom’s fight
With no worry of their individual plight
In death their faith was their delight
Liberty eternally in their sight
To wellsprings in life where liberty flows
Where the thinker can think before he knows
Of rights and wrongs as goodness glows
Honor is the place of the White Rose
