After the Nazis came to power in January , Sophie, along with most of her siblings, was an excited and happy follower of the National Socialist cult of youth. The teenager believed in the ideals propagated at the time. Similar to many of their contemporaries, Sophie was particularly intrigued by the focus on nature and communal experiences.

Lively discussions were a daily occurrence at the dinner table, teaching the children the value of open and honest conversation—a rarity at the time. These associations shared and propagated a love for nature, outdoor adventures, as well as the music, art and literature of German Romanticism. Originally seen as compatible with Nazi ideology by many, these alternative groups were slowly dissolved and finally banned by Hans remained active in one such group, however, and was arrested in along with several of the Scholl siblings.

The older Scholl brothers were sent off to fight on the front. She graduated high school in the spring of and started an apprenticeship to become a kindergarten teacher.

She eventually wanted to study biology and philosophy. In order to be admitted, students had to spend a period of time working for the state in the Reichsarbeitsdienst RAD; National Labor Service.

She hated it. The military-like regimen and mind-numbing routine caused her to find solace in her own spirituality, guided by readings of theologian Augustine of Hippo. Her doubts about the regime grew.

When she finally moved to Munich to study biology and philosophy in May , her brother Hans, a medical student at the same university, and some of his friends had already begun to actively question the system. Serving on the Eastern Front, they learned about the crimes committed in Poland and Russia first hand and saw the misery with their own eyes.

Starting in June , they began printing and distributing leaflets in and around Munich, calling their fellow students and the German public to action. Other members of their circle joined in the endeavor, writing four pamphlets until the fall of the same year. She did not want to stay passive anymore. The White Rose was a small endeavor with large consequences.

Together they published and distributed six pamphlets, first typed on a typewriter, then multiplied via mimeograph. At first, they only distributed them via mail, sending them to professors, booksellers, authors, friends and others—going through phone books for addresses and hand-writing each envelope.

She and her brother were interrogated and, after a show trial, sentenced to death. They refused to betray the rest of the group but the authorities tracked them down anyway.

Within a few months the friends had all been executed. On the morning that she went to the guillotine, Sophie, aged 21, said:. What does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action? Those words, her bravery, are still honoured in Germany today, where schools and roads bear her name and that of her brother. It's the source of regret for some that the other members of the White Rose group are rather less prominently commemorated.

There was outrage when, a few years ago, the far-right party AfD issued a slogan "Sophie Scholl would have voted AfD". At a rally against Covid measures in Hanover last November, a young woman jumped onto the stage and compared herself to Sophie Scholl.

But, on what would have been her th birthday, the German mint is issuing a commemorative coin, there'll be dedicated church services, and there's a new Instagram channel dedicated to her life.

Many here will quietly reflect on the life of a young woman whose courage and conviction still stir hearts and minds today. How Auschwitz became centre of Nazi Holocaust. Image source, Getty Images. Initially as a teenager Sophie Scholl supported Hitler but her opinions changed. This photo shows Hans and Sophie Scholl as students in around View this post on Instagram. It was to be their last. Image source, EPA. More like this. Watch options. Storyline Edit. The Final Days is the true story of Germany's most famous anti-Nazi heroine brought to life.

Sophie Scholl is the fearless activist of the underground student resistance group, The White Rose. Using historical records of her incarceration, the film re-creates the last six days of Sophie Scholl's life: a journey from arrest to interrogation, trial and sentence in Munich.

Unwavering in her convictions and loyalty to her comrades, her cross-examination by the Gestapo quickly escalates into a searing test of wills as Scholl delivers a passionate call to freedom and personal responsibility that is both haunting and timeless. In , one young woman stood up to the Nazis, her courage made her a legend, this is her story. Not Rated.

Did you know Edit. Trivia The Stadelheim prison in Munich's Giesing district, where the execution of Sophie Scholl and many others at least 1, took place during the Third Reich, is still in use as a prison as of Adolf Hitler had also been imprisoned here for a month in Freisler then appears to be taken aback and momentarily silent.

In actuality, Freisler was a veteran of the Eastern Front during World War I, saw significant combat, and was wounded and captured. Thus, his demeanor at Hans' statement is somewhat odd. Quotes Sophie Magdalena Scholl : [to the court] You will soon be standing where we stand now. Monaco Performed by Ella Fitzgerald. User reviews Review. Top review. A finely accurate, touching story. As this is more of a history film, I will write this review based on the historical aspect of the film and not so much about the acting.

However it goes without saying that the acting and handling of the camera was nothing less than superlative! By watching the film you really have the impression of being there at that time. This film details the last six days of the primary members of a resistance group called the White Rose. The White Rose was an organization of students, mainly around Munich, during the years , though there were fringe elements that eluded capture by the authorities that survived until the end of the war.

Many of those survivors contribute to this story. There are two other films about the group. The main one was a film called "The White Rose". It can be found described here in IMDb.