White Rose Group: Sophie Scholl

Hey all! So, for the past few months, I have been planning this Holocaust Education and Awareness assembly with a teacher at school. Today, was one of our weekly meetings and one thing we discussed was highlighting resistance against the Nazis. I thought we should discuss the White Rose Group.

The White Rose were a group of college aged youth who gathered in secret and distributed leaflets that revealed information the Nazis didn't want leaked among the German citizens. Such examples included mass murders of Jews and a variety of other groups and the defeat at Stalingrad. Two of the most famous members were Hans and Sophie Scholl. Hans, Sophie and six other members gave their life to fight for what they believed to be true. They were each beheaded by the guillotine and there operations lasted from June 1942 until February 1943.

" Stand up for what you believe in even if your standing alone".- Sophie Scholl

White Rose Group. 

A few excerpts from pamphlets: 

“Isn't it true that every honest German is ashamed of his government these days? Who among us has any conception of the dimensions of shame that will befall us and our children when one day the veil has fallen from our eyes and the most horrible of crimes– crimes that infinitely outdistance every human measure– reach the light of day?”

—1st leaflet of the White Rose

“Since the conquest of Poland, 300,000 Jews have been murdered in this country in the most bestial way… The German people slumber on in dull, stupid sleep and encourage the fascist criminals. Each wants to be exonerated of guilt, each one continues on his way with the most placid, calm conscience. But he cannot be exonerated; he is guilty, guilty, guilty!”

—2nd leaflet of the White Rose.

Here are links for further research:
1.  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/rose.html
2. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007188
3. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/rose.html
4. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/rosepic.html

Kashariyot

The Kashariyot were a group of women who worked for the Jewish Resistance. The went on secret missions through German-occupied territories. They are known for smuggling secret documents, weapons, underground newspapers, money, news on the Germans, medical supplies, forged identity cards, ammunition and other Jews out of ghettos. 

"The Kashariyot were a lifeline-a "human radio" for news and information, a trusted contact for supplies, resources and a personal inspiration for hope and resilience."

Here are a few links for further research: 

1. http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/kashariyot-couriers-in-jewish-resistance-during-holocaust

2. http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/education/newsletter/18/couriers.asp

Edelweiss Pirates

 

The Edelweiss Pirates were a small, loosely-organized group of German youth to old for the Hitler Youth and still young enough to avoid forced conscription into the military. The movement originated in Western Germany in response to the strict regimentation of the Hitler Youth and they sang anti-Nazi songs, assisted military deserters, and collected pamphlets dropped by the Allies. This was their popular slogan: " Eternal War on the Hitler Youth".  This was a popular song that a sub group sang: 

Des Hitlers Zwang, der macht uns klein,	Hitler's dictates make us small,
noch liegen wir in Ketten.	we're yet bound in chains.
Doch einmal werden wir wieder frei,	But one day we'll again walk tall,
wir werden die Ketten schon brechen.	no chain can us restrain.
Denn unsere Fäuste, die sind hart,	For hard are our fists,
ja--und die Messer sitzen los,	Yes! And knives at our wrists,
für die Freiheit der Jugend,	for youth to be free,
kämpfen Navajos.	Navajos lay siege.

Here are some links for further research: 

1. https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_oi.php?ModuleId=0&MediaId=1237

Note: The following links is an oral interview with a member of the Edelweiss Pirates. 

Nicholas Winton

On May 19th, 1909, Nicholas Winton was born. In December of 1938, Winton was asked to visit a refugee camp, filled to capacity with mostly Jewish and political opponent refugees. Due to the rise of ant-semetism, such as Kristallnacht, Winton decided to organize a Kindertransport of his own. He organized a group of individuals to help set-up his operation, he opened an office in Prague, fundraised in Britain and found foster families to care for the refugee children. By day he worked at the stock-exchange and by night, Winston dedicated his time to his rescue efforts. 

There were several Kindertransports organized by Nicholas Winton. Between March and August of 1939, a known seven transports took place. As of today, Nicholas Winton is known for saving the lives of 669 children. 

Links for further research:

1.  http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007780

2.  https://www.ushmm.org/learn/holocaust-encyclopedia/nicholas-winton

3.  http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Winton.html

(Gerhard) Gad Beck

Gad Beck grew up in Berlin to an underprivileged family. Being 10 when the Nazis rose to power, he experienced ant-semetism first hand while attending a German school. Due to his "mixed' familiar background, his mother having converted to Judaism, Beck was spared from being deported East.

While in Berlin, he was involved in the underground. Being homosexual and Jewish, Beck had multiple connections to several circles of people and resistance groups. He assisted Jews in escaping to Switzerland and also provided food and hiding places. He also held a leading role in the Chug Chaluzi Jewish resistance group. He arranged safe houses, assisted Jews in escaping and delivered money.

In 1942, Beck attempted to save the life of his Jewish lover, Manfred Lewin. He borrowed a Hitler Youth uniform and met Lewin at the detention center where he was being held. Manfred decided that he could not leave his family. He was deported to Auschwitz, where he perished.

In March of 1945, Gad was betrayed and arrested. He was liberated on April 24th, 1945. After the war, Gad Beck immigrated to Palestine while helping other to immigrate at the same time. He fought in the war which led to the creation and establishment of Israel. After establishing a life in Israel,  Beck returned to Germany where he became an LGBTQ activist and the Director of the Berlin's Jewish Adult Education Center.

Gad Beck believed it was his mission to rebuild the communities of individuals that the Nazis spent years trying to make disappear. At the age of 88, Beck died in 2012. He was the last, known homosexual and Jewish Holocaust survivor.

Links for further research:

1. http://hmd.org.uk/resources/stories/gad-beck

2. http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/idcard.php?ModuleId=10006666

Note: Thank you to the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for helping to provide content for this article.