Die weiße Rose

In 1943, in Munich, the student Sophie Magdalena Scholl (Lena Stolze) finds that her brother Hans Scholl (Wulf Kessler) has formed the resistance group The White Rose with three other friends of the University of Munich and they are distributing anti-Nazi pamphlets to other students and wall writing political statements against Hitler. Sophie decides to join the group and is assigned in principle to small tasks.

Meanwhile the Gestapo is investigating and hunting down the group. While distributing pamphlets in the University of Munich, Hans and Sophie are arrested by the Gestapo that also finds Christoph Probst (Werner Stocker). They are sentenced to death and beheaded in the guillotine.

"Die Weiße Rose" is a wonderful film of idealism and courage during World War II and based on a true story. I saw this film for the first time in the 80's and after watching "Sophie Scholl - Die Letzten Tage", I have decided to see it again on my rare VHS.

"Die Weiße Rose" shows the big picture about the resistance group "The White Rose" and "Sophie Scholl - Die Letzten Tage" is a dramatization of the last days of Sophie. The story about a German resistance group against the atrocity of Hitler and the Nazi is unusual and both films have many scenes in common and practically complete each other. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Rosa Branca" ("The White Rose")

A war is being waged by a mad man, who fans the flames of conflict where he can, in Germany and abroad, he slashes with his sword, but the tide begins to turn against his plan. The University of Munich takes the stage, where a group of students publish their outrage, covertly they dispense, argue against armed offense, it's a war of words and wisdom on a page. But the powers that have stolen all free speech, hail down upon the message that you preach, incarceration and then court, corrupted state gets what it sought, but there is solace in the strength of your outreach.

The powerful and inspirational story of students banding together to stop a tyrant during WWII, great performances all round but especially from Lena Stolze playing the brave Sophie Scholl.

"The White Rose" identifies the international effects of post-WWI. Germany sought purity within their culture to counter suffrage imposed by conquering nations. 'The Hun' was hog tied to keep the world safe while WWII developed. In this atmosphere, Nazism flourished with the rise of a gifted communicator, Der Fuehrer--The Leader. In the form of ethnocentrism white roses blossomed. "The White Rose" was a world tragedy not just a nationalistic movement. However, within the hell of Nazi Germany a few youngsters and their academia professors attempted to communicate the reality of hell on earth, and they failed. I have this movie in Beta video format and await a DVD replacement. I was introduced to this film while I was stationed in West Germany in 1982 when it won numerous European awards. It's a classic international film worth owning. I write this review on November 9, 2008 in remembrance of Kristalnacht, November 8, 1938 or The Night of Broken Glass.

Read the book first then watch the movie

I found the video interesting and decided to read the book. I did get what I wanted from the book and that was the background that did not have time to be shown in the movie.

Sophie Magdalena Scholl (Lena Stolze), tells the story of her brothers' participation in being a dissident and distributing anti-government leaflets in WWII Germany and their eventual outcome. They called themselves The White Rose.

The rating stars are not because of the subject content. They are for delivery. I did get what I wanted from the book and that was the background that did not have time to be shown in the movie. Aside from the actual leaflets, Inge Scholl does a good job of building up the drama as newer and weirder restrictions are being applied to the German public.

This is the (close as you are going to get to the truth) story of an underground movement from within Germany by people that never thought they would be doing this. Aside from the actual leaflets, Inge Scholl does a good job of building up the drama as newer and weirder restrictions are being applied to the German public. The movie has more impact. You will want to watch it again for the things you missed while thinking of what you heard and saw.

If you find this story interesting then a good follow-up film is La ragazza terribile (1990).

What I like most about this film is its sobriety, dispassion and sophistication in tackling the topic. There's no idealisation of the resistance group. It is based on precisely researched historical facts which successfully moves over clichés and false glorifications. Director Michael Verhoeven makes clear, that Sophie and Hans Scholl were neither longing for death nor wanted to set a beacon by giving themselves in custody. As incredibly brave and encouraged they were, they wanted to live most of all. The film also prompts questions of resistance fighters in a terror regime: Is there a right to resist against the majority of people? Is violence justified? Is it allowed to carry on sabotage which threatens the population? Is it allowed to wish a defeat for the own country? Is it worth anything to risk one's own life?