Hans Scholl third interrogation

II A / So / Schm. [Special Commission / Schmauβ] – Munich, February 20, 1943.

Continuation of the Interrogation.

Led from prison, and after being exhorted to tell the truth, Hans Scholl made the following statement:

If I am asked today to what degree the following persons participated in my crimes – among them my sister Sophie Scholl, Gisela Schertling, Alexander Schmorell, and Willy Graf – I will confess the following:

My sister indeed procured envelopes and stationery, but she had no idea what I planned to do with them. I bought the absorbent paper used in the duplication of leaflets myself, and from various stores. The paper my sister procured was not at all suitable [for the duplication process].

The same is true of Gisela Schertling with regards to this matter. In February 1943, she procured around 10 envelopes for me. I did not tell Schertling that I would use these envelopes to mail seditious leaflets. During my first interrogation, I already stated the reasons regarding my silence in this matter. I do not deny that I asked Schertling to procure envelopes for me. But I did not tell her for what purpose. She therefore could and must deduce that I wanted to use these envelopes for private purposes. Since I have known Schertling well for only a few weeks, I could not very well initiate her into my plans. Schertling is completely innocent.

Regarding the involvement of Willy Graf, I can only state that he did not participate in my crime. It is true that at the end of December 1942 or in January 1943, I asked him to procure envelopes and paper for me. But I did not mention my plans to him, because – as I have already said – I wanted to work alone so that I would not be endangered. In January 1943, Graf procured around 50 envelopes for me, as I had requested. I do not remember precisely whether he ever procured paper for me.

When I am told [Note 1] that recently every stationery supply store has sold equal numbers of envelopes and paper, then [I must assume] that Graf bought paper at the same time that he bought envelopes. I paid him for everything. Graf is completely innocent, because I told him nothing of my activities and conduct, because I wanted to have to worry only about myself.

The same is true in this matter with respect to Anneliese Graf. She has come along several times recently when her brother visited me in my apartment. As concerns both of these people, I can quickly summarize by saying that both of them are innocent.

It is a little different with Alexander Schmorell. This person has been – shall we say – my friend for many years. Nevertheless, I did not initiate him into my plan until the end of January 1943. At first I only asked him for money without telling him what I needed it for. At the end of January and during the first half of February 1943, Schmorell gave me money on 3 occasions, for an amount totaling around 500 Marks [$4,000.00]. I did not give him a receipt for the money. I also avoided asking Schmorell to help me produce the leaflets.

At the end of January 1943, I told Schmorell that I had printed leaflets and that I wished to mail these leaflets to various cities in the Reich. Even then, I only hinted at the contents of the leaflet, ie, I did not allow him to read one. When he expressed the wish to let him read a leaflet, I told him that I would rather keep the matter to myself. He said he was satisfied with my answer.

We then went to the Deutsches Museum together and copied out addresses from out-of-town cities such as Salzburg, Linz on the Danube, Vienna, Frankfurt/Main, Augsburg, and Stuttgart. We then typed these addresses on envelopes. All of this took place in my apartment, where we 2 could be alone.

When we completed our work (1500-2000 copies), Schmorell traveled to Vienna via Salzburg at his own expense, so he could mail the letters along the way and then finally in Vienna. Schmorell packed these letters in his suitcase.

I think it was one day later when my sister Sophie Scholl traveled to Stuttgart via Augsburg with around 2000 letters ready to be mailed, so she could mail the leaflets from the post offices in those cities.

Recorded by: /Signature: Schmauβ/, Crim. Secr.

Signed by: /Signature: Hans Scholl/

[No witness]

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Note 1: Presumably by the interrogator.

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Source: ZC13267 (131 – 132)