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This blog is the work of an educated civilian, not of an expert in the fields discussed.

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Sophie Scholl

And Also: Slate touched upon the additional Abu Ghraib photos released by a few outlets a couple days ago, supplying some links. Of particular note is the link to the actual Australian news program that was the center of it all. It bears watching.


Although they actually accomplished little (obviously they had no realistic chance of accomplishing very much from the outset), the White Rose students serve as an example that not all Germans blindly went along with Hitler.

-- from background of original White Rose Society

The White Rose Society is the name given to a group that supplies downloads of liberal radio shows, including two from Air America.

It originally was the name of a tiny anti-Nazi movement, so you see where they are going with this. It is always dangerous on some level to compare things to Nazi Germany, no matter if done in support (anti-Saddam) or in opposition (anti-Bush) of the war and so forth. Nonetheless, the symbolism of reckless fascism, the need to stand up against it, and so forth does easily call to mind such things. For good or ill.

The story of a small group of anti-Nazi students and their supporters is clearly a striking story, one filmed a few times. The most recent account -- aided by additional documentary material -- has been nominated for Best Foreign Film. And, Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (Germany) is well chosen. It is a striking portrayal of the final days of a brother and sister involved in the movement, mainly through her eyes, and using actual transcripts and such. Knowing their final fates makes things that much more difficult ... or philosophical ... to watch.

The website provided above provides additional background of the story, which a lot deeper that the last five days of the lives of the participants referenced here. It is also recommended to add some context. But, the film works on its own as well. The final question is: would we be able to stand up for what we believe in, push comes to shove? Or, would we -- like various people in the movie -- have reasons not to do so, even if we knew the problems with that path? The choices of a few are well portrayed here.

The movie takes place in early 1943. Thus, the question is largely rhetorical. I also recommend the movie Downfall, another German movie portraying the final days ... this time of Hitler himself. It was one of the best movies of 2005.