Hans Scholl to Stuttgart

When I am asked when and at what opportunity I met Hans Scholl, I can make the following statement: Up till November 1942, I only knew that Hans Scholl studied medicine. I had never had a discussion with him to that point that would have allowed me to know his political attitude. …

I believe it was in November 1942 that Hans Scholl came to my office in Stuttgart completely unexpectedly. He did not come unannounced. He had called from Stuttgart to ask if he could speak to me.

A [male] medical student accompanied him at that time. He was introduced to me. I cannot recall his name. When I asked what Hans Scholl’s relationship was to the person who accompanied him, I was told that both had served on the front together. Hans Scholl told me that he had been furloughed to study medicine, and that it had not yet been decided whether his father would have to close his accounting practice.

Finally Hans Scholl started talking about the real reason for his visit. He alleged that the [male] students in Munich who were returning from the front were sick of the war. A test balloon [Note 1] called “The White Rose” had appeared or been published to turn these sentiments into deed. I cannot recall whether Hans Scholl or the person accompanying him said anything about being the author of this test balloon. Neither of them showed me a copy.

In this context, Hans Scholl said that he intended to visit all the universities in the Reich to determine the mood of the student bodies everywhere. Hans Scholl also said that among the student body in Munich, the slogan “Justice For All” had already found great resonance.

In any case, I could tell from his statements that Hans Scholl was toying with the idea of shortening the length of the war by force or instigating a putsch. When I asked what I personally had to do with this matter, Hans Scholl told me I did not need to do anything to participate, but that I should contribute money to their undertaking.

Without taking his request seriously, I half-jokingly asked Hans Scholl if he wanted me to reimburse him his train fare from Munich to Stuttgart. Hans Scholl replied that his coming had less to do with payment for the travel costs incurred. I asked Hans Scholl how much money I should give him. Hans Scholl did not reply.

To keep the conversation going, I then asked Scholl, do you maybe want 1000 Marks [$8,000] or 500 Marks [$4,000]? Scholl responded, “No, I don’t need that much. A smaller amount will suffice.”

Hans Scholl probably could not tell from my intimations whether I was prepared to give him money. I must admit that I should have given Scholl a clear answer in this case. In this uncertain situation, Scholl preferred to leave my office with the remark that he would come visit me again later. Scholl justified this abrupt termination of our conversation by saying it was high time they got to the train station, because they had someplace else to go. As best as I can recall, Scholl wanted to come visit me again in about three weeks.

I am being shown the photograph of Alexander Schmorell. This is the man who accompanied Hans Scholl during his first visit.

When the two of them had left my office, I decided that I would not donate any money to that kind of undertaking. However I must admit that I did not transmit my intentions to Scholl in any manner. I could not do so because I did not know Hans Scholl’s address. I did not even think about getting the address from Scholl’s parents, because I did not place much stock in the entire affair. …

[After remonstrance about the money issue:] Scholl’s first visit went as I described above. I must add that at that time, Scholl also asked me about people the mood in Stuttgart. In addition, I must correct my statement and say that I did not leave it up in the air regarding whether I would give Scholl money during his first visit. I therefore understand that that was the only reason Scholl visited me a second time. …

In any case, Scholl and the person accompanying him during the first visit did not make any clear statements about their actual plans or rather about the fact that they would be writing and distributing seditious pamphlets. The statements were not clear enough for me to view the entire matter as a seditious operation.

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Note 1: Aufklärungsschrift. Aufklärung is the military term for reconnaissance.

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Source: Initial interrogation of Eugen Grimminger, March 3, 1943