Awesome Women From History: Sophie Scholl

Sophie Scholl & The White Rose

It’s difficult for anyone to speak up against the status quo, no matter how terrible it is. We live day to day pretending we don’t notice the awful things going on beneath the surface because what else can we do? It’s not as though we could make a difference if we tried, right?

That’s why I picked Sophie Scholl for this week’s Awesome Women from History. A member of a group called The White Rose, Sophie Scholl lived in Germany during WWII. She was caught distributing anti-Nazi leaflets in the University of Munich and she, along with her brother and friend, were executed.

There is a wonderful movie about these last experiences she suffered called, funnily enough, Sophie Scholl.  It’s in German with subtitles. I’ve watched it twice now and both times I’ve come away absolutely stunned that someone could see the horror going on around her and not desperately try to hide, but instead fight right up until the end. Her belief that all humans deserved equality surpassed her fear of the Nazi’s strict and terrifying regime.

Sophie Scholl was a strong, brave woman who faced her death without fear, knowing what she did was right. I’ll leave you with her final words.

How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause. Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?