Richards-Wilson, Stephani

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Marquette Universitye-Publications@MarquetteCollege of Arts and Sciences Leadership Researchand Publications Provost, Office of4-8-2010Catholic Student Resistance in Nazi Germany:Willi Graf of the White Rose (poster session)Stephani Richards-WilsonMarquette UniversityPresented at the Marquette University International Faculty Research Poster Session, April 8, 2010   CATHOLIC	STUDENT	RESISTANCE	IN	NAZI	GERMANY		WILLI	GRAF	OF	THE	WHITE	ROSE		Dr.	Stephani	Richards‐Wilson,	Assistant	Dean,	Klingler	College	of	Arts	and	Sciences		International	Faculty	Research	Poster	Session,	Marquette	University,	April	8,	2010		Upper	Left:		Research	Question:	How	does	one	learn	to	face	down	evil	and	pass	that	spirit	on	to	others?			Wilhelm	Joseph	Graf	was	born	January	2,	1918	and	grew	up	in	an	apolitical,	devout,	Catholic	family	in	Saarbrücken,	Germany.	As	a	grade‐schooler,	he	served	as	an	altar	boy	and	regularly	attended	mass.		In	1929,	shortly	after	he	entered	secondary	school,	Willi	Graf	joined	a	Catholic	boy’s	group	called	Bund	Neudeutschland	(New	Germany),	which	the	Nazis	banned	in	1936.	Graf	refused	to	join	the	Hitler	Youth,	required	of	all	boys	10	years	old	and	older,	despite	being	threatened	from	being	withheld	to	take	his	qualifying	exams	for	university	admission.			At	age	16,	Graf	joined	Grauer	Orden	(Grey	Order),	a	young	men’s	Christian	group	formed	at	Easter	in	1934,	consisting	of	boys	from	12	to	25	years	old	primarily	from	the	middle‐class	and	western	and	southern	Germany.	They	went	on	retreats	and	took	short	camping	trips	within	and	outside	of	Germany	–	all	considered	illegal	activities	by	the	Nazis.	Members	read	theological	works	by	Romano	Guardini,	the leading figure in the German liturgical revival between the two world wars, and	they	often	sang	religious	hymns	that	reminded	them	of	God’s	grace	and	mercy.			In	February	1937,	Graf	received	his	university‐entrance	diploma.	In	April,	he	began	his	mandatory	6‐month	Reichsarbeitsdienst	(paramilitary	labor	service	duty)	in	Dillingen/Saar.	This	consisted	of	agricultural	work.			In	November	1937,	Graf	began	medical	studies	at	the	University	of	Bonn.	He	continued	there	until	September	1939.	Graf	was	a	member	of	the	Red	Cross	from	1938	until	his	death	in	1943.			In	January	1938,	Graf	first	experienced	the	Gestapo	and	prison.	He	was	arrested	with	17	others	for	his	membership	in	the	Grey	Order.	Graf	was	held	in	custody	for	two	weeks.	His	case	was	dropped	in	May	1938	due	to	an	amnesty	after	the	Reich	annexed	Austria	in	March.				Graf	was	drafted	in	January	1940	and	served	as	a	Sanitätssoldat	(medic)	in	the	German	army.	He	saw	action	in	Southern	France,	Belgium,	the	Balkans,	and	Poland,	witnessing	wartime	suffering	and	brutality	first‐hand.	In	June	1941,	he	was	transferred	to	the	Soviet	front.	His	experiences	in	Poland	and	the	former	Soviet	Union	in	particular	played	a	major	role	in	motivating	him	to	join	the	resistance	in	1942.	In	February	1942,	he	wrote	his	sister	who	noted	his	reaction	to	the	atrocities	he	had	witnessed	at	the	hands	of	the	Germans	–	“Nicht:	Es	muss	etwas	geschehen,	sondern:	Ich	muss	etwas	tun.”(“Not:	Something	must	be	done,	on	the	contrary:	I	must	do	something.”)		In	April	1942,	Graf	was	given	leave	from	the	front	and	was	allowed	to	continue	his	medical	studies	as	a	member	of	the	2nd	Munich	Student	Company	at	Ludwig‐Maximilian	University.	From	July	until	the	end	of	October	of	the	same	year,	however,	Graf	and	others	that	would	eventually	form	the	student	resistance	group	called	the	White	Rose,	were	transferred	to	the	Eastern	front	for	a	field	internship.	Upon	his	return	to	Munich	in	the	fall	of	1942,	Graf	became	an	active	member	of	the	White	Rose	and	determined	opponent	of	the	Third	Reich,	costing	him	his	life	one	year	later.		From	fall	1942	until	February	1943,	Graf	was	enrolled	at	the	university.	He	attended	seminars,	clinics,	Bach	choir,	mass,	and	fencing	practice,	in	addition	to	reading	over	40	books	in	this	year	alone.	He	liked	cigars,	long‐distance	running,	nature	and	animals,	and	drinking	wine	and	schnapps	with	his	friends.	At	night	he	met	with	other	members	of	the	White	Rose	to	compose,	mail,	and	distribute	mass	quantities	of	leaflets	that	called	for	passive	resistance	and	removal	of	the	Nazi	regime.	During	these	months	and	at	great	risk	to	their	safety,	they	produced	six	leaflets	and	anonymously	distributed	thousands	of	copies.	This	was	difficult,	time‐consuming,	labor‐intensive,	and	dangerous	work.	The	White	Rose,	along	with	the	support	of	one	of	their	professors,	often	repeated	Psalm	90	individually	or	as	a	group.	Members	were	of	various	faith	traditions.			During	his	Christmas	holidays	in	1942‐43	and	at	his	own	expense,	Graf	traveled	to	Bonn,	Ulm,	Cologne,	Saarbrücken,	and	Freiburg	for	the	purpose	of	seeking	support	from	among	his	old	friends	to	participate	in	the	distribution	of	their	leaflets.	Only	four	were	willing	to	help.		In	February	1943,	Graf	helped	other	White	Rose	members	write	freedom	slogans	on	Munich’s	city	walls	at	night.		On	February	18,	1943,	Graf	was	arrested	for	his	role	in	the	White	Rose	after	other	members	were	caught	and	arrested	the	same	day	for	distributing	leaflets	at	the	university.	In	accordance	with	the	Nazi	practice	of	Sippenhaft,	the	Gestapo	rounded	up	his	family	as	well.	His	sister	spent	four	months	in	prison	and	his	parents	spent	four	weeks,	causing	him	extreme	anguish	fearing	they	could	be	deported	to	a	concentration	camp.		On	April	19,	1943,	Willi	Graf,	along	with	other	members	of	the	White	Rose,	was	condemned	to	death	for	high	treason	and	spent	the	next	few	months	in	prison.	The	Gestapo	tried	to	elicit	the	names	of	friends	involved	with	the	White	Rose,	but	Graf	held	out	and	never	betrayed	their	confidence,	thereby	saving	their	lives.	Graf	followed	the	dictates	of	his	conscience	and	Catholic	faith.	Since	the	age	of	15,	he	sought	guidance	from	his	favorite	bible	verse:	“Seid	Gefolgschaft	in	der	Tat,	nicht	nur	im	Hören	des	Wortes”	(Jak.	1,	22).	(“Be	doers	of	the	word	and	not	hearers	only,	deluding	yourselves.”	The	Letter	of	James	1:22)		On	October	12,	1943,	Willi	Graf	was	beheaded	at	age	25	in	Munich‐Stadelheim	prison.	His	execution	took	1	minute	11	seconds	from	the	time	he	was	escorted	from	his	prison	cell	to	the	time	the	blade	fell.	His	parents	officially	learned	of	his	death	when	a	letter	they	had	written	to	him	was	returned	and	marked	“deceased.”		On	November	4,	1946,	and	at	the	request	of	his	father,	Graf’s	remains	were	moved	from	Munich	to	the	old	St.	Johann	cemetery	in	Saarbrücken.	On	October	12,	2003,	Willi	Graf	was	posthumously	made	an	honorary	citizen	of	Saarbrücken,	Germany.		Eight	schools	and	several	streets	in	Germany	are	named	after	Willi	Graf	of	the	White	Rose.		My research: In his last letter to his younger sister, Graf asked her to carry on what the White Rose had begun. The events leading to Graf’s participation in the White Rose and his eventual death are well documented. The more personal aspects of his life, however, remain unexplored whether in German or English. My research and second dissertation focus on Graf’s formation in the Catholic youth movement, his personal development as reflected in the numerous works he read and the context in which he read them, and the factors that led him to move beyond passive criticism of the Nazi regime to risking his life not only for his own faith, but for that of others.   “Jeder	Einzelne	trägt	die	ganze	Verantwortung.”		“Every	individual	bears	full	responsibility.”	–	Willi	Graf		

Catholic Student Resistance in Nazi Germany: Willi Graf of the White Rose (poster session)

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Catholic Student Resistance in Nazi Germany: Willi Graf of the White Rose (poster session)

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