"Sophie
Scholl shocked everyone in the courtroom when she remarked to Freisler:
'Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also
believed by many others. They just don't dare to express themselves as we did.'
Later in the proceedings, she said to him: 'You know the war is lost. Why don't
you have the courage to face it?'" This exemplifies of the many impressive
things she did. Sophie Scholl was born on May 9, 1921 in Forchtenberg. Her
father, the mayor of Forchtenberg, had brought up Sophie and his other five
children as a Lutheran Christian. Sophie and her brother, Hans, joined the
Hitler youth movement like every kid and did fun activities; But they despised
what they taught and got in trouble for standing up for their Jewish friends.
In January 1943, students from Munich gathered up and created a anti-nazi group
called The White Rose, with Sophie and Hans as the leaders.
Sophie Scholl demonstrates heroic characteristics of being selfless and courageous. Sophie's Jewish friends were discriminated from the Hitler Youth movement and she knew something was wrong. "Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just don't dare express themselves as we did" (Sophie Scholl). Sophie Scholl is a hero because of her selflessness. She demonstrates selflessness because even though many people were scared to express their inner voice, Scholl stood up for righteousness and justice. Due to the fact that no one would take a stand against Nazis, Scholl decides to bring upon change and form an anti-nazi group with her brother called The White Rose. This group not only withstand this new "Nazi Society", but they stood up for what is truly right, and justice. The selflessness Scholl shows are incredible; She places her life in front of all what she is fighting for, which is the equal treatment and freedom of the Jews. "This treatment very much went against Sophie's belief in equal justice for all and there can be little doubt that it angered her." (Trueman). Sophie is a selfless leader because of how she fights for others freedom. Even at a young age, when she saw segregation of the Jews she confronted the teachers while all the other students just went along with it. These acts got her into a oodles of dilemma when she was young but as time went on and she became older the punishments became a lot more serious, despite the punishments she still fought for the freedom of the Jews. To do these amazing things she must have to put others in front of her and be extremely courageous to face the monstrous Nazi group. As she fought for freedom for the Jews she got into trouble but kept going; she stood firm for the Jews while she was being arrested, exiled and executed.
"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?". Sophie was executed because of her fight for freedom for the Jews. She stood with courage as she fought for the Jews till death. Her courage was enough to impress the guards and loosened the rules on her, but the important part is that she was an inspiration to the anti-nazi group and became a symbol for it. "a small circle of anti-Nazi activists calling for the overthrow of the Third Reich; Sophie and her brother were arrested for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets at the university (Feb 18, 1943); executed by guillotine." The leaflets Hans and Sophie illegally printed and distributed was brave, as they knew it was risky to hand the leaflets out but for them they felt it was a necessity. But they were unfortunately caught by the Janitor and their fate was determined when the SS or Shutzstaffeln, the security squad or body guards for Hitler came and arrested them. They would have to be extremely brave and selfless to risk their lives in order to handout illegal leaflets.
Sophie Scholl is a hero because she
is selfless and courageous. She is a hero because she puts others in front of
her and helps fight for their freedom and because she is able to speak out her
opinions for others even though it might cost her life. Sophie Scholl inspired
me to be more caring to and to think about others, she also inspired me to
speak out my opinions and fight for what is right, instead of just going with
crowd. Because of Sophie Scholl's incorruptible selflessness and courage
therefore it makes her an adequate hero.
Work Cited "Leaders of the German Resistance to Hitler." Historic World Leaders. Gale, 1994.Biography in Context. Web. 4 May 2014. "Scholl, Sophie (1921-1943)." Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. Ed. Anne Commire and Deborah Klezmer. Vol.2. Detroit:Yorkin Publications, 2007. 1680. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 May 2014. "Sophie Scholl." People of the Holocaust. Gale, 1998. Biography in Context. Web. 5 May 2014. Tejvan, Pettinger. "Sophie Scholl Biography." Biography Online. Biography Online, Dec.-Jan. 2013. Web. 02 May 2014.<http://www.biographyonline.net/women/sophie-scholl.html> Trueman, Chris. "Sophie Scholl." Sophie Scholl. History Learning Site, 2000. Web. 09 May 2014. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/sophie_scholl.htm>. .
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