During the years 1942-43, Nazi Germany reached the pinnacles of its military expansion and its political power. The National Socialist (Nazi) Party dominated all aspects of German life-from what you read in the newspaper, heard on the radio, and saw at the theater; to how you lived and thought. Traditional values such as individuality, freedom of thought, and freedom of expression were seen as criminal tenets. And to speak against Hitler or the policies of the Nazi Party were crimes punishable by imprisonment or death. This screenplay tells the true story of an unlikely group of freedom-fighters: an ensemble of young students from the University of Munich called 'the White Rose.' From the spring of 1942 to the winter of 1943, the group wrote, printed, and distributed a series of six 1-2 page leaflets denouncing Hitler, the Nazi Party, and Germany's part in the war. When silence and compliance meant survival, these young revolutionaries openly called attention to the cruelty and lies fostered by the Nazis, and the anti-Semitic genocide and crimes against humanity that the Party sought to hide from the eyes of the world. In doing this, the White Rose members put themselves at grave risk. But their motive was a passionate desire to make the truth known, regardless of the consequences for themselves. The story focuses on two core members of the White Rose: Hans Scholl, and his 21 year old sister, Sophie. They began their lives, as virtually all children did in the Third Reich, as active members of the Hitler Youth organization. However, at an early age they began to question their indoctrination, and to see the irrationality, cruelty, and corruption of Hitler's regime for what it was. Later, with several university friends, they established a local resistance movement in southern Germany, which soon blossomed into a nationwide crusade against Hitler, the Nazi agenda, and Germany's participation in an unwinnable war. The harsh criticisms they published were, of course, acts of treason, and were punishable by death. They were a profound irritation at the highest levels of the government, and the organization became a primary target for the Gestapo. However, rather than stopping, or even slowing down their dissent, the members threw caution to the wind and increased both the scope and the intensity of their acts of defiance. For this reason, these young people stand as paradigms of honor and courage: a victory of the human spirit over the cruelty and mendacity of a cold and faceless political machine.
About the Author: Dr. Dennis Sweet has written numerous novels and books dealing with European mythology. He presently teaches Philosophy and History in Pittsburgh, PA.