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Sarah Dowdey

And I’m Sarah Dowdey.

Katie Lambert

A few months ago, we talked about Hannah Szenes, a Hungarian who opposed the Nazis by parachuting into Yugoslavia in an attempt to save fellow Jews. She was arrested, tortured and executing. This heroic story left many of you wanting to hear more about resistance to the Nazis during World War II. These stories are usually tragic. How could they end well? But they’re also pretty inspirational.

Sarah Dowdey

One of the most surprising of these heroic stories comes out of Germany, of all places, where the Gestapo and the SS kept such a close eye on the population. Listening into a broadcast of Radio London could be enough to get you executed.

It’s in Germany, In Munich actually, that this group of students decide to protest the atrocities of their government and stir up their apathetic countrymen at a great risk to their own lives. They call themselves the White Rose.

Katie Lambert

Before we get into the student movement in Munich, we need to give some background on what life was like for someone who was trying to resist the Nazi government. Some sources that Sarah was reading kept saying that you can’t understand unless you’ve lived under a totalitarian regime, but we hope this will help a little bit.

This is what you’re up against. Nazi indoctrinations started in preschool. Children were encouraged to denounce their parents from making derogatory comments about Hitler or about the Reich. At age ten, boys would register to join the German Young People after being investigated for racial purity. At 13, they could join the Hitler Youth. At 18, they’d be a member of the Nazi party. It was mandatory to serve either in the armed forces or in labor details until age 21. Girls did the same thing, participating in leagues that taught comradeship and motherhood.

Sarah Dowdey

That’s what you’re up against in terms of this early indoctrination. In addition to the Gestapo, every block also has a spy who would note down conversations going on, keep track of who was saying what. Maybe you make a joke to your wife about Hitler and your neighbor overhears it. The next thing you know, you’ve got police knocking on your door. So dangerous times.

Consequently, it’s pretty difficult for all but the smallest groups to actually protest the government because organized resistance usually involves a lot of people.