February 18
Gestapo Arrests White Rose Leaders Sophie and Hans Scholl
The Gestapo's arrest of siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl on February 18, 1943, while they distributed anti-Nazi leaflets at the University of Munich, ended the White Rose's campaign of nonviolent resistance inside the Third Reich.
Summary
During World War II, a small group of students and professors at the University of Munich formed the White Rose resistance movement to oppose Nazi rule through nonviolent means. Inspired by philosophy, theology, and reports of atrocities, the group produced and distributed leaflets calling for sabotage of the war effort and an end to the regime. On February 18, 1943, siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl distributed copies of the sixth leaflet at the university, tossing remaining pamphlets from an atrium balcony. A janitor witnessed the act and alerted authorities, leading to their immediate arrest by the Gestapo along with seizure of incriminating materials. The arrests triggered further detentions of other members and a swift trial before the People’s Court. Sophie, Hans, and Christoph Probst were executed days later by guillotine.
Context
During World War II, a small group of students and one professor at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich formed the White Rose to challenge the Nazi regime through anonymous leaflets. The circle drew inspiration from philosophy, theology, classical literature, and reports of German atrocities on the Eastern Front. Members such as Hans Scholl, Alexander Schmorell, and Willi Graf began writing and distributing the first leaflets in June 1942, quoting sources from Aristotle to Goethe to appeal to the German intelligentsia and urge passive resistance and sabotage of the war effort.
What Happened
On the morning of February 18, 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl carried a suitcase containing roughly 1,500 to 2,000 copies of the group's sixth leaflet to the university's main building. They placed stacks of the pamphlets in the empty corridors outside lecture halls so students would find them after class. With copies still remaining, Sophie threw a bundle from an upper balcony into the central atrium below.
Aftermath
University janitor Jakob Schmid, a Nazi Party member, witnessed the act, locked the building doors, and alerted the Gestapo. Officers arrested the Scholls on the spot. Hans tried to destroy a handwritten draft of a seventh leaflet by Christoph Probst that he was carrying; enough fragments survived for interrogators to identify the author, leading to Probst's arrest on February 20. Separate interrogations followed under Gestapo officer Robert Mohr; both siblings eventually accepted full responsibility. On February 22 the People's Court, presided over by Roland Freisler, tried the three in a brief proceeding and sentenced them to death for high treason. They were executed by guillotine at Stadelheim Prison the same day.
Legacy
The arrests and executions transformed the White Rose into enduring symbols of moral courage and student resistance within Nazi Germany. After the war, copies of the sixth leaflet were reprinted and dropped over German cities by Allied aircraft. Schools, streets, plazas, and memorials across Germany now bear the names of Sophie and Hans Scholl and their comrades, while books, films, and educational programs continue to present their story as an example of individual conscience opposing totalitarian rule.
Why It Matters
The arrests and executions elevated the White Rose as symbols of moral courage and student resistance inside Nazi Germany, inspiring postwar remembrance, educational programs, and memorials that underscore individual opposition to totalitarian regimes.
Related Questions
What was the White Rose?
The White Rose was a small nonviolent resistance group of students and a professor at the University of Munich that produced and distributed anti-Nazi leaflets between 1942 and 1943.
Why were the Scholls arrested on February 18, 1943?
They were caught distributing the sixth White Rose leaflet at the university when a janitor saw Sophie throw remaining copies from a balcony into the atrium.
Who was Jakob Schmid?
A university janitor and Nazi Party member who witnessed the leaflet distribution and immediately alerted the Gestapo, leading to the arrests.
What happened to the other White Rose members after the arrests?
Further detentions followed quickly; Christoph Probst was arrested on February 20, and most of the Munich circle was apprehended by late February.
How did the White Rose influence postwar Germany?
The group became symbols of moral resistance; their story inspired memorials, schools, streets, books, and films that emphasize individual opposition to tyranny.
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Sources
- Sophie Scholl, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-07-08.