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In 18th February 1943, Sophie Scholl, her brother Hans and their friend Christoph were arrested having been found distributing anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich. They were tried and four days later on February 22nd convicted of High Treason and executed by guillotine on the same day. Sophie was 21 years old when she died for her role leading dissent and active resistance to the rule of Nazi Germany. Their tools of revolution were words, paper and a printing press. After the students’ death the sixth leaflet of the movement was smuggled out of Germany and used by the Allied Forces, who showered millions of copies of Sophie’s work over Germany just a few months after her execution. Sophie’s story is a true lesson in dissent and serves to remind us that we have a responsibility to ensure that we never sleepwalk into such darkness again. Sophies final words: “How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause. Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go, but what does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?” LYRIC For Sophie (This Beautiful Day) You walk the university your suitcase in your hand High upon the landing by your brother’s side you stand The voices of the innocents echo round the hall The flowering truth on paper Sophie makes the petals fall The greatest act of duty to your country and your friends Is to stand up for the righteous cause and give your life for them You could have lied or made a deal you could have walked away But the wall of shame would bear your name and that’s too much to pay CHORUS These are the eyes of the child you saved Aryan blue Hebrew brown and grey These are the hands that in gratitude pray For Sophie’s life on this beautiful day Seven sermons seven lessons seven calls to arms To the workers in the factories the workers on the farms One life for ten thousand when good hearts ‘gainst evil stand Your future’s only safe as this one heart and these two hands Sophie at the window Sophie lights the lamps To free her country spread the word Sophie buys the stamps And in the jail one final kiss her brother and her friend To end in terror’s better than a terror without end The brilliant child of Germany has turned his mind to war He hears the windows breaking but he doesn’t know what for The ghettos’ strangely quiet just the constant trains go by But Sophie takes his hands and Sophie opens up his eyes Engineered by Roy Dodds
