A couple of days, flyers can be seen in the lecture hall.
The students read them. Sophie too. Then, some put them in their bags, most leave them on the table. It is clear that they have fear. But who could’ve written such a thing? Where can these leaflets possibly come from?
A nation like the German can let themselves be ruled by a group of criminals? Don’t any true Germans have shame? Is the German nation so corrupted that it’s doing nothing? Do we actually have freedom? Are the Germans already without independence, so many without strength and spirit? Then, its journey has come to an end. Goethe said, the Germans are a tragic nation, like the Jews and the Greeks. But today, the Germans are just like sheep, they don’t think individually anymore, but rather let things happen to themselves. But it’s not like that: they finally understood who Hitler is and what he’s anticipating, but it’s too late. Everyone has fear. They know: when they say something, they could end up in prison, or they’ll have to die. Should this go on? Do we want to merely wait and watch, as our young men die in Russia, as our cities are destroyed by bombs?
‘And the beautiful word of freedom
is spoken quietly into the wind
until one fine day
we stand at our temple
rejoicing because we are free again!
Free! Free!’
(Goethe)
Please pass this leaflet on!
After the lecture, Sophie ran quickly back home.
She had to say it to Hans.
There is already a group of students, who no longer have fear. They wrote the leaflet, without doubt. Or professors? No, probably not.
“Hans!” No answer. Where could he have gone to?
Sophie went in his room.
She sat in front of his desk.
Should she return to campus? She still had lectures. But she’s too excited.
There, she read the book, that was laying on the table.
It wasn’t anything about medicine. It was Goethe’s work.
Sophie read out: “And the beautiful word of freedom…”
That’s the same as the text on the flyer!
That…can that be? Did he already know the poem? No, the leaflet was new. Then…Hans wrote it! And he didn’t say a word to her! Of course not: she’s still his little sister!
Sophie waited for him.
In the afternoon, Hans returned home.
She was still sitting in front of his desk.
“Sophie?” he asked.
“I’m in!”
“What? Where?”
“I’m in on the next flyer!”
“That…that’s not gonna work. It’s too dangerous!”
“So you think, our women should just stay in the kitchen? Only men can fight! Do you think so?” She went a bit louder. “We’re all in this war, Hans!”
This evening, she came along into the apartment, where Hans met his friends.
Christoph and Alexander were also there.
“I already thought you’d come.” Alexander laughed.
“That’s nothing to laugh about!” Hans is a bit nervous. “It’s dangerous, I…”
“Do you have a name for the group?” Sophie asked.
“It must be something beautiful!” Christoph said. “Something like…”
“Red roses, red lips, red wine?” Alexander asked.
“Ah! Leave it!”
“He’s right.” Sophie said. “Rose is nice. It’s pretty, everyone likes it, but it can prick. It doesn’t need to be red. Red is the color of blood. We’re living in a world of blood. The war…”
“The White Rose?” Hans asked.
“Yes! The White Rose!” Alexander and Christoph said together.
“And the next leaflet comes from the White Rose!”
But the next leaflet had to wait.
Next day, a letter came.
Hans laughed.
Sophie read it.
“The German Wehrmacht!”
“Do you have to…?”
“Yes, fight! In Russia. But…” He looked at his sister. “But only in the lazaretto. And only six months. I already did that for one time in France. In no time I’ll be back and continue studying. So don’t you worry!” He gave her a kiss on the forehead.
The whole Student Corp, that’s the name for it now: also medical students from other grades have to serve for half a year at the front.
Sophie accompanied Hans, Alexander and Christoph to the train station.
Now, she’s all alone in this big city.
Her mother is also alone. Sophie often visited her.
Father went through the trial and had to stay in prison for four months.
But whether in Ulm or in Munich: the war is coming closer.
In the evenings, there are often bomb alarms and she has to go in the bunker under her house. In the streets, Sophie often saw bombed houses and crying people.
And food was running out.
Can this war last on?
The letters from Hans are very short. He has fear.
But the few words he wrote were already scary enough.