The story of the White Rose resistance movement is an interesting tale, about which any student studying the Nazi time period from the German perspective should know. In 492, we've learned so far mostly of people who were victims, passive onlookers, indirect or passive participants, and violent perpetrators. I think everybody could assume that there was resistance, but to actually read of the group and their message is inspiring. Hearing of the group and their difficulties could help people who place the guilt collectively on the German people. The White Rose made a great effort to persuade other students to passive resistance, and also made it clear that their indifference counts them as responsible. This helps remove Germany's collective guilt, as proposed by some historians, like Daniel Goldhagen, because the group's difficulties show how hard it was to stand up. Sophie and Hans Scholl were executed four days after being caught distributing the group's fourth leaflet in a Munich university's atrium. Other group members were also caught and killed shortly thereafter.
Another lesson whose importance is confirmed by the White Rose movement is the dangers of political apathy. Apathy (and intelligence) lie at the heart of everything that separates the life course of, for example, Sophie Scholl's life, and Traudl Junge, Hitler's secretary. Sophie Scholl cared enough to disregard the propaganda being spread about Jews, and cared enough to fight for their protection in a time when such a message was being squandered. Traudl Junge likely heard of the same rhetoric about the Jews as did Sophie Scholl. Traudl Junge may have also not liked it, but disregarded her potential discontinuity with Nazi policies when she was offered a job within the party. Traudl Junge didn't care that although she wasn't driving deportation trains, she was working for a business, so to speak, that did. Traudl Junge donated her time and skills to a party with a violent, repulsive message. Although something we all aspire to, a stable job, drove her, where she settled her aspiration condemns her. Apathy and perhaps ignorance allowed her to continue her work for the party.
