Hans Fritz Scholl (September 22, 1918 - February 22, 1943) was a central figure in the White Rose, a group of university students who courageously resisted the Nazi regime during World War II. Hans was from a small town in southern Germany, born to a middle-class family with strong Protestant values. Growing up, Hans and his five siblings were exposed to moral convictions that deeply influenced Hans' outlook on life. His father, Robert Scholl, was an outspoken critic of the Nazi regime. Robert Scholl’s distaste for Nazi ideology and his strong ethical principles left a lasting impact on him.
Like many young Germans, Hans was initially swept up in the wave of Nazi enthusiasm in the early years of the Third Reich. Against his father’s will, he became an active participant in the Hitler Youth, climbing to the rank of “Fähnleinführer.” Hans’ path to resistance was not immediate. Initially, he was involved in non-Nazi youth groups. These groups celebrated nature, outdoor activities, and art. Initially, Germans believed these groups were compatible with Nazi ideology. Gradually these groups were officially banned by the Nazi government in 1936. Hans, however, remained active in one of these groups until he was arrested in 1937, along with several of the Scholl siblings. Caught in a system of complete control and growing restrictions on freedom, Hans became disillusioned with National Socialism and sharply turned back to his Christian values. Over time, his military experience and Nazi atrocities led him to question and ultimately reject the regime's ideology.
Hans showed academic promise from an early age, especially in his studies of biology and medicine. After completing his secondary education, he enrolled at the University of Munich in 1939 to study medicine. It was at university that Hans came into contact with a group of like-minded students who would eventually come to form the White Rose. It would not be until he was drafted into the German Wehrmacht (army) in 1940 that his disillusionment with the Nazi regime deepened to the point of no return.
In the Wehrmacht, Hans served as a medical orderly (hospital attendant) where he witnessed firsthand the realities of war. While deployed on the Eastern Front, he began to question the ethical and moral legitimacy of the Nazi cause. In particular, he was horrified by the regime’s treatment of Jews, the rapid militarization of German society, and the destruction brought about by the war.
In the spring of 1942, Hans along with his sister, Sophie Scholl (a fellow student at the University of Munich) and their friends, began meeting to discuss their opposition to the Nazi regime. Initially, they were connected by their strong Christian convictions but they also drew influence from the works of anti-Nazi intellectuals. It was in this environment that the White Rose emerged as a resistance group committed to non-violent opposition to the Nazi rule.
The group’s motivations were both personal and ideological. Motivated by a profound sense of moral duty, the White Rose aimed to oppose the Nazi policies, which they saw as a betrayal of human dignity and Christian values. Hans became a key member of the White Rose, contributing not only to the writing and distribution of pamphlets but also to the moral discussions that shaped the group's ideology. The decision made by Hans and his friends to form the White Rose came not from a desire for fame or recognition, but instead from a deep sense of moral responsibility and obligation as German citizens.
The members of the White Rose decided to distribute leaflets calling on Germans to resist Hitler. In these pamphlets, they wrote about the destruction of freedom and the atrocities being committed while urging the German people to stand up against the dictatorship. Hans and Sophie were two of the most active participants, both in writing and in distributing leaflets. These leaflets were smuggled out of Munich and spread across other German cities, exposing the realities of Nazi rule and encouraging resistance. Their most famous actions were their publication and distribution of six leaflets between 1942 and 1943. The White Rose leaflets were printed in secret and often anonymously. The sixth pamphlet, written in February 1943, urged German citizens to take action, even if it meant risking their lives.
Despite the immense risks, Hans, Sophie, and the other members of the White Rose continued their resistance efforts. They worked quickly and efficiently, often using coded language and clandestine means of distribution to avoid detection.
On February 18, 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl were caught distributing leaflets at the University of Munich. A janitor at the university saw them and then alerted the Gestapo of the Scholl’s actions. The siblings were arrested and interrogated. Both Hans and Sophie remained resolute during the interrogations, refusing to betray their friends and fellow conspirators. After a swift trial, Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, and Christoph Probst were sentenced to death for treason and "undermining the war effort." They were executed by guillotine on February 22, 1943, just days after their arrest. Hans was 24 years old at the time of his death.
