[1] The principal author of the resistance movement's literature, he was found guilty of high treason for distributing anti-Nazi material and was executed by the Nazi regime in 1943 during World War II.

[1] Against the declared will of his father, he became an enthusiastic member of the Hitler Youth on April 15, 1933, and initially held leadership positions in the Deutsches Jungvolk, but quickly became disillusioned with the group when he realised its true principles.

[1] One reason was that the fanaticism promoted in the Hitler Youth and the unconditional subordination to the power structures ruling there became more and more repugnant.

Under questioning, he admitted to having had two separate sexual relationships, one with Rolf Futterknecht,[7] and one with Ernest Reden, who had also made advances on his brother Werner.

Between 1940 and 1941, Scholl, a former member of the Hitler Youth, began questioning the principles and policies of the Nazi regime.

[13] As a student at the University of Munich, Scholl met two Roman Catholic men of letters who redirected his life, inspiring him to turn from studying medicine and pursue religion, philosophy, and the arts.

[14] After their experiences at the Eastern Front, having learned about mass murder in Poland and the Soviet Union, Scholl and Alexander Schmorell felt compelled to take action.

These leaflets were left in telephone books in public phone booths, mailed to professors and students, and taken by courier to other universities for distribution.

[15] From 23 July to 30 October 1942, Willi Graf, Scholl and Schmorell served again at the Soviet front, and activities ceased until their return.

[21][7] During his interrogation, Hans tried to protect his sister by claiming to have thrown the leaflets himself, but his testimony was contradicted by the custodian's.

[citation needed] While in their cells, Hans, Sophie, and Probst each saw a priest to give them the last rites of the Catholic Church.

[9] At around 4-5 pm, Robert and Magdalena Scholl, the parents of Sophie and Hans, went to the prison and demanded to see their children.

Dressed in prison uniform, he stood tall as he walked to his parents and grabbed their hands through the barrier separating them, telling them, "I have no hatred.

Unlike Sophie, who had gone to her death silently, Hans shouted "Es lebe die Freiheit!"

[21] In the end, 29 people were accused of being members of the White Rose; 16 were executed and 13 were given prison sentences ranging from six months to 10 years.

[9] Following the deaths, a copy of the sixth leaflet was smuggled out of Germany through Scandinavia to the UK by German jurist Helmuth James Graf von Moltke, where it was used by the Allied Forces.

The White Rose's legacy has been considered significant by many historical commentators, both as a demonstration of exemplary spiritual courage, and as a well-documented case of social dissent in a time of violent repression, censorship, and pressure to conform.

Playwright Lillian Garrett-Groag stated in Newsday (22 February 1993): It is possibly the most spectacular moment of resistance that I can think of in the twentieth century...

[22]In the same issue of Newsday, Holocaust historian Jud Newborn noted: You cannot really measure the effect of this kind of resistance in whether or not X number of bridges were blown up or a regime fell...

[citation needed]It was not until the 1998 law to abolish Nazi judgments of injustice in the administration of criminal justice that the sentences against Hans Scholl and other members of the White Rose became void in Germany.