The White Rose: First Leaflet

The first White Rose leaflet was written jointly by Hans Scholl and Alexander Schmorell in Munich in mid-1942. Both were students at the University of Munich and core members of the White Rose, a non-violent resistance group that opposed the Nazi regime.

The first leaflet called for passive resistance against the Nazi regime and appealed specifically to the German intelligentsia and educated classes. It argued that every German was complicit in the regime's crimes through inaction and urged citizens to engage in acts of sabotage and civil disobedience.

The White Rose produced six leaflets in total between mid-1942 and early 1943. The final leaflet was smuggled out of Germany, reprinted in the United Kingdom, and scattered over German cities by Allied aircraft.

The leaflets were primarily distributed in Munich, including at the University of Munich where the Scholl siblings and their fellow members studied. They were also sent by mail to academics and professionals across southern Germany and left in telephone booths and other public locations.