“We will not be silent” has been a rallying cry for several generations of nonviolent resisters. Originally coined by die Weiße Rose (the White Rose), a student group at University of Munich, “We will not be silent” has become a symbol of passive resistance and the refusal to support tyranny and injustice. The White Rose was founded in 1942 and only lasted a year before they were brutally suppressed for their widespread anti-Nazi rhetoric. Their activities primarily consisted of pamphlet distribution and graffiti messages, and their strong messages still resonate today.
…every convinced opponent of National Socialism must ask himself how he can fight against the present “state” in the most effective way, how he can strike it the most telling blows. Through passive resistance, without a doubt. – 3rd Leaflet.
Although they only distributed six pamphlets, the White Rose effectively questioned the wartime motives of the Nazis, and their words continue to inspire today. The three members who were caught giving out pamphlets were executed by guillotine for high treason and demoralizing the military on Feb. 22, 1943.
In the next few days, we will post insights from fellow IUSB students that explore the rich passages that were produced by the White Rose during their short existence. Learn about German student resistance against National Socialism.
…why do you allow these men who are in power to rob you step by step, openly and in secret, of one domain of your rights after another, until one day nothing, nothing at all will be left but a mechanized state system presided over by criminals and drunks? Is your spirit already so crushed by abuse that you forget it is your right – or rather, your moral duty – to eliminate this system? – 3rd Leaflet.
Is your spirit already so crushed by abuse that you forget it is your right – or rather, your moral duty – to eliminate this system? – 3rd Leaflet.
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