Tag Archives: Stalingrad

List of suspects

. Alexander Schmorell, Christoph Probst, Gestapo memorandum, Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Willi Graf . , ,

[Note 1] Scholl cited the following as motive: Prior to [Note 2] Stalingrad, he was a soldier. There he was able to determine that the German army would never be capable of defeating the Russians. Germany would absolutely lose the war and therefore it was preferable that the war ended before that happened. Every additional day that war was waged meant more unnecessary bloodshed and could not be justified by the leadership. Therefore, students and the intelligentsia should purge the National Socialist system from the people. Continue reading →

How Hans Scholl received Probst’s leaflet (2nd interrogation)

. Christoph Probst, Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl . , ,

Question: How did you come to have a copy of the letter that was found on your person – a letter that had already been ripped up? It began with the words “Stalingrad! 200,000 German brothers were sacrificed!”

Answer: When I left my apartment around 10:30 this morning, I found a letter in my mailbox. The envelope was white and it had been addressed by hand: Mr. Hans Scholl, Munich, Franz-Josef Str. 13, Garden House. I briefly skimmed the letter in the foyer of my apartment and then tore it up. I stuck the individual bits of paper in my coat pocket. … Continue reading →

Leaflet VI, by Professor Kurt Huber

. Crime lab reports, Kurt Huber . , , , , , , , , , ,

German Students! [Note 1]

Our nation stands shaken before the demise of the heroes [Note 2] of Stalingrad. The brilliant strategy of a Lance Corporal from the World War has senselessly and irresponsibly driven [Note 3] three hundred thirty thousand German men to death and destruction. Führer, we thank you! Continue reading →

Bischoff’s view of Leaflet VI

. Kurt Huber . , , ,

The leaflet “Students!”, that was later entitled “Fellow Students!” occupied itself with the events in the East and blamed the Führer for that. It primarily directed its call to the student body to force the day of reckoning with the “most abominable tyranny” that our nation has ever endured. It called on the students to crush the National Socialist terror with the power of the spirit.

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Source: Indictment dated April 8, 1943

Hans Scholl initial story re origin of Leaflet 6

. Hans Scholl . ,

Sometime around February 10, our defeat in the East became known. As a result, the mood among the student body worsened. I got the idea to do justice in this situation [Note 1] by publishing a new leaflet. I wrote a draft entitled “Students!”

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Note 1: In the sense of making it right.

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Source: Hans Scholl’s second interrogation, February 18, 1943 (after 4 a.m.)

Alexander Schmorell re Leaflet VI

. Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl . , ,

Following the events in Stalingrad, Scholl and I saw new motivation to produce a leaflet. While Scholl was very depressed about the events in Stalingrad, I (as someone who cared about Russia) was downright [Note 1] happy about the newly created strategic situation for the Russians. Both of us set about writing and distributing the new leaflet [entitled] “Students” [Note 2]. Continue reading →