“Speaking Truth to Power: The White Rose,” October 21

Friday, October 21, 6 p.m.

German American Heritage Center, 712 West Second Street, Davenport IA

Held in conjunction with the German American Heritage Center's current exhibition The White Rose: The Student Resistance Against Hitler, Munich 1942-1943, noted scholar and speaker Dr. Jud Newborn will deliver the October 21 presentation Speaking Truth to Power: The White Rose, recounting how Sophie Scholl and her brother Hans – formerly fanatical Hitler Youth leaders – transformed to become icons of civil courage and the greatest heroes of the German anti-Nazi resistance.

The White Rose was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany led by five students and one professor at the University of Munich: Willi Graf, Kurt Huber, Christoph Probst, Alexander Schmorell, Hans Scholl, and Sophie Scholl. The group conducted an anonymous leaflet and graffiti campaign that called for active opposition to the Nazi regime, their activities started in Munich in June of 1942, and ended with the arrest of the core group by the Gestapo the following February. They, as well as other members and supporters of the group who carried on distributing the pamphlets, faced show trials by the Nazi People's Court (Volksgerichtshof), and many of them were sentenced to death or imprisonment. The Scholls, as well as Probst, were executed by guillotine four days after their arrest, on February 22, 1943. During the trial, Sophie interrupted the judge multiple times, although no defendants were given any opportunity to speak in their defense.

The group wrote, printed, and initially distributed their pamphlets in the greater Munich region, and eventually secret carriers brought copies to other cities, mostly in the southern parts of Germany. In July of 1943, Allied Planes dropped their sixth and final leaflet over Germany with the headline "The Manifesto of the Students of Munich." In total, the White Rose authored six leaflets, which were multiplied and spread, for a total of roughly 15,000 copies. They initially denounced the Nazi regime's crimes and oppression, and called for resistance, and in the group's second leaflet, they openly denounced the persecution and mass murder of the Jews. By the time of their arrest, the members of the White Rose were just about to establish contacts with other German resistance groups, among them the Schulze-Boysen/Harnack group of the Red Orchestra. Today, the White Rose is well known both within Germany and worldwide, and has been the subject of several books and films.

Employing stirring theme music, 80 powerful images, and suspenseful storytelling, October 21's Speaking Truth to Power presenter Dr. Jud Newborn will explore the power of the White Rose as role models today in the struggle against oppression, genocide, injustice, prejudice, far right fanaticism and the undermining of democracy, including the suppression of free speech and dissent. Relating the White Rose story to today’s most compelling current events, he concludes by presenting outstanding heroes of all backgrounds today, at home and abroad, who fight for freedom and our shared humanity. Dr. Newborn has lectured and performed to acclaim at universities, religious institutions, conferences, and other venues worldwide, ranging from San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre and L.A.’s Simon Wiesenthal Center to the United Nations, Canada and Cape Town. He is the co-author of Sophie Scholl & the White Rose with Annette Dumbach, and says of his presentation, “The program itself is a dramatic and inspiring multimedia program with music and photos, at different historical and contemporary points. It’s also a kind of a suspense. It’s got suspenseful storytelling.”

Dr. Newborn's Speaking Truth to Power: The White Rose presentation will take place at the German American Heritage Center on October 21, participation in the 6 p.m. program is $15 for Heritage Center members and $20 for non-members, and more information and reservations are available by calling (563)322-8844 and visiting GAHC.org.