We Will Not Be Silent by
Russell Freedman is a narrative non-fiction book about about a pair of
siblings, Sophie and Hans Scholl, and how they tried to form a group and speak
out to oppose Adolf Hitler. Sophie and Hans first joined the Hitler Youth
because of Hitler’s “hypnotizing” promises, but soon after they felt alienated
towards the community. That was when the Scholl family and siblings really
doubted their Fuhrer and wanted to know if others felt the same. In the next
few years, Sophie and Hans found close friends who also opposed Hitler. That
was when they became the community of the White Rose. The White Rose was a
massive group that was known worldwide for sending out their leaflets that
shared news and opposing views on Hitler. It was their way of speaking out with
a smaller chance of being found and being brought to a death sentence. Through
the many ups and downs the White Rose community and Scholl family had to go
through, one main point that we learned is to not be afraid to speak out
your voice and thoughts. Our project was structured as a suitcase that held
the leaflets the White Rose members carried around to scatter their leaflets.
We especially chose this suitcase, as it was the first evidence that caught
Sophie and Hans Scholl as a part of the White Rose; which, further on, brought
them to trial. Contained within the suitcase are leaflets, which signify
solution. The leaflets are the main aspect of your project as the leaflets were
the White Rose’s steps to change. Each leaflet shares different information:
one leaflet contains the three perspectives of Robert Mohr, Hans Scholl, and
White Rose members during the time of the execution for Sophie Scholl, Hans
Scholl, and Christoph Probst; a second leaflet contains a world connection;
lastly, other leaflets contain quotes from the text that share opposing views
on Hitler. The suitcase is also surrounded by little, fake, White Roses as not
only was for the name of the anti-Nazi group, but also because white roses
symbolised purity and innocence to the White Rose members. Around the display
contains images: one is a zip, a coffin, a swastika, and a microphone. The zip
is used to display how the characters and White Rose members had to keep
secretive and quiet in order to not get caught by the Gestapo; furthermore,
their mouths “zipped closed”. Secondly, the coffin symbolises the mood on how
all characters were trapped into the restrictions and rules of their Fuhrer and
couldn’t leave. As well as, how the coffin symbolises their mind and how their thoughts
are trapped and can’t be shared. The swastika glued to the side signifies the
time period as our book club book was clearly during World War II, and a
leaflet containing a German flag to also signify that it also took place in
Germany. Lastly, the microphone symbolizes on how the White Rose members and
many others spoke out and projected their voice. Even though the White Rose
projected their voice through leaflets, it brought an impact to many people,
and some of those did publicly state their points.
An important theme that was brought throughout We Will Not Be
Silent by Russell Freedman revolved around not being afraid to share your
voice. It was a big controversy for any German, mainly of the Aryan race, to
have an opposing view towards Hitler. If you did, and shared it publicly, it
would lead you to a death sentence. However, the scared thoughts of sharing
views did not stop the White Rose. They shared their thoughts and brought a
community together that brought a change. The theme was corresponded into our
display the same way the White Rose shared their thoughts. We displayed the
theme through leaflets. A few of the leaflets contained quotes from original
White Rose leaflets where they spoke out their voice. For example, “Every word
that comes from Hitler’s mouth is a lie. When he says peace, he means war, and
when he blasphemously uses the name of the Almighty, he means the power of
evil, the fallen angel, Satan. His mouth is the foul-smelling maw of Hell, and
his might is at bottom accursed. We will not be silent. We are your bad
conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace!” (Page.61) Our group
believed it was important that the leaflets represented the theme with a quote,
as that was the way the White Rose did it. This quote that was contained in a
leaflet is very important, as it was when the White Rose first really shared
their hatred towards Hitler. As well as, on the side of our display there is an
image of a microphone. For the White Rose, microphones were frequently used for
someone to cherish their Fuhrer during an event, and consisting of “Heil
Hitler’s!” But the microphone symbolises something completely different to
the White Rose. It symbolises how they project their thoughts and voice.
“Thoughts are free, Who can guess them? They fly by Like nocturnal shadows. No
man can know them, No hunter can shoot them With power and lead. Thoughts are
free!” (Page 54) Though, White Rose members didn’t actually project their
opposing views and news through a microphone, their leaflets are metaphorically
the microphone. A leaflet that contains a voice that is spread around and
shared.
The perspectives of Hans Scholl, Robert Mohr, and White Rose
members are brought into our display for the perspectives on the execution of
Sophie Scholl, Hans Scholl, and Christoph Probst on February 22, 1943. The days
before were full of trials where Sophie and Hans were able to make a reliable
lie that wouldn’t get them caught for sending out the leaflets, but eventually
gave up and confessed for spreading the leaflets at the University and for
being the starters of the White Rose movement. The three perspectives are
displayed in our project through a leaflet with the information of the day of
the execution as if it was a “news” leaflet, which is what some of the White
Rose leaflets were like. On the day of the execution, though Hans was upset for
his life coming to end, he didn’t pity it as he knew he was proud for
accomplishing a great change to those opposing Hitler and for bringing together
a strong community. “I have no hatred to anyone anymore, I have put that all
behind me.”(Page.75-76) Those were Hans’s last words he said as a goodbye to
his family before he was sent off to be executed. Then, there was Robert Mohr.
Robert Mohr was the chief investigator of the Gestapo for the investigation to
find the White Rose community. Though he despises Sophie and Hans Scholl for
creating such a community opposing Hitler, as well as Christoph for helping, he
did think of them uniquely. “Sophie and Hans Scholl managed a bearing that must
be called unique. Both [said] that their activities had only one purpose,
preventing an even greater calamity from overtaking Germany, and if possible,
helping to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of German soldiers and people…[They]
were convinced that their sacrifice was not vain.”(Page 72) Lastly, the third
perspectives is of other White Rose members and followers days after the
execution when they wrote on the walls of Munich University: “Scholl lives! You
can break the body but never the spirit!”(Page 79) The White Rose brought a
movement that will always be recognised.
