Women of the White Rose (Series)

Names without hyperlinks are works-in-progress, and will be updated once published. This link takes you to the full collection. And yes, I am aware I still have a lot to write about these women!

In alphabetical order. By "maiden" or family name, with married name in parenthesis.

• Strong women. I can understand why origins of White Rose legend remained firmly masculine. But why is that legend being perpetuated, sometimes even by women? (2024.03.04) Notes are for paid subscribers only, most of post is public.
• International Women’s Day 2026. Women were equal partners of the White Rose men. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. (03/08/2026). Free.
• Hedwig Aicher.
• Herta Dohrn (Probst).
• Clara Geyer.
• Anneliese Graf (Knoop).
• Lisa Grote.
• Tilly Hahn (Grimminger)
  • Tilly Hahn. Tilly Hahn worked as Eugen Grimminger's secretary in 1942-1943 as Grimminger financed White Rose operations. Tilly carried money and supplies to the students, enabling their work to continue. (2022.03.15). Free,
  • “My” White Rose families. Tilly Hahn. I care about Eugen Grimminger and Tilly Hahn. (2024.09.05) FREE.
•  Susanne Hirzel (Zeller)
  • Susanne Hirzel: The other side of words. Words matter. We must use words deliberately, consciously. In contrast to Hermann Krings' clear text, Susanne Hirzel's words muddy the waters. See how that makes a difference in the record. (2023.06.14)
  • “My” White Rose families. Susanne Hirzel. I care about Susanne Hirzel and her brother Hans. (2025.09.05) FREE.
• Lilli Holl
• Traute Lafrenz (Page)
  • Women of the White Rose: Traute Lafrenz (part 1). Reading Traute Lafrenz's Gestapo interrogation transcripts for the first time, I laughed. Out loud. This beautiful young woman stayed a step ahead of her interrogator. How did she become that person? (2023.03.08)
  • Women of the White Rose: Traute Lafrenz (part 2A - May through July 1942). Shining an overdue spotlight on a woman who was at the heart of White Rose resistance. Her story has been neglected too long. (2023.04.12)
  • Women of the White Rose: Traute Lafrenz (part 2B - 8/1/1942-2/17/1943). Despite Hans Scholl's brutal emotional abuse, Traute Lafrenz persevered. She threw herself into the work and never abandoned her friends. (2023.04.14)
  • Women of the White Rose: Traute Lafrenz (part 2C - 2/18/1943-2/26/1943). Historically, the initial White Rose arrests, first trial, and executions on 2/22/1943 have been told from Inge Scholl's carefully scripted viewpoint. This is how it appeared in Traute Lafrenz's eyes. (2023.04.16)
  • Women of the White Rose: Traute Lafrenz (part 2D - 2/26/1943-4/18/1943). Traute Lafrenz faced off against two of the worst agents the Gestapo could throw at her. Eduard Geith, convicted in Nuremberg for violating the Geneva Convention. Oswald Schaefer, Gestapo chief... (2023.04.18)
  • April 19, 1943 - The Second White Rose Trial. The trial from Traute Lafrenz's point of view. (2023.04.19)
  • Women of the White Rose: Traute Lafrenz (part 3). Traute Lafrenz, in her own words, describing her life from March 1944 - April 1945. She was 26 years old when she wrote this document. (2022.03.18)
  • In Memoriam: Dr. Traute Page nee Lafrenz. Her photo has been all over the Internet the last few weeks. Who is this woman the Gestapo deemed so dangerous, she was to have her own trial? (2023.04.03)
  • "My" White Rose families. Traute Lafrenz. I care about Traute Lafrenz. (2025.09.05) FREE.
• Lieselotte Ramdohr (Fürst)
  • Lieselotte Fürst-Ramdohr. In Memoriam. “I would do it all over again, even knowing what it would cost me.” - Unsre liebste Lilo. (2024.05.13) Free.
  • A circle of friendship. White Rose was a circle of friends who knew injustice when they saw it, and knew they had to do something about it. And they chose to do something about it with friends they held near and dear. [Putting this post under Lilo to honor her recognition of this quality of their circle.] (2023.12.20) Free.
  • “My” White Rose families. Lieselotte Fürst-Ramdohr. Lilo and Alex vowed always to be friends, always to be true and honest with one another. “How lucky I am to be alive!” he exclaimed. Statements like these must be shouted for the world to hear. (2024.09.24) FREE.
  • Lilo’s three Christmases. The pain of this dear woman was indescribable. And yet, with what superhuman greatness she bore that sorrow! ‘What kind of poor souls are they who must carry out such a death sentence?’ (2025.12.22) Free.
• Regine Renner (Degkwitz)
• Erika Rieck.
• Elisabeth Scholl (Hartnagel) -- I really need to write about Elisabeth!
• Sophie Scholl
  • The Sophie Scholl series.
    • Part XV.
    • Part XIV. On the verge of real war. (April 22, 1940 – May 9, 1940). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part XIII. Others who have come near the divine.  (February 1, 1940 – April 21, 1940). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part XII. The girl who could not love. Or be loved. (January 1, 1940 – January 31, 1940). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part XI. The inconvenience of war. (October 1, 1939—December 31, 1939). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part X. Mixed Emotions. (September 1, 1939—September 30, 1939). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part IX-A. Polish-German History 101. Summer 1939. Free.
    • Sophie Scholl. Part IX—B. Summer of deception. (July 20, 1939 –September 1, 1939). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part VIII. Sins of the father? (May 1, 1939 – Early July 1939). Free. Footnotes and references (this one is free).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part VII. Tangled friendships (January 1, 1939—April 30, 1939). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part VI. Breaking glass, silenced (November 9, 1938—December 31, 1938). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part V. Troubled Waters (August 1938 – November 12, 1938). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part IV. Germany’s vast beauty and good people (March 1938 – July 1938). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part III. Infringement of personal liberties (August 1937-March 1938). Free Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Sophie Scholl. Part II. The teenager falls in love (November 1935-Summer 1937). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
    • Getting around Ulm (yes, re Sophie Scholl). Free.
    • Sophie Scholl. Part I: The little girl becomes a teenager (1921-1935). Free. Footnotes and references (paid).
  • The Sophie Scholl you should know. On this day when sappy commemorations that portray White Rose resistance as religious, shallow, and idealistic begin, perhaps it is time that on this day, you're introduced to the real Sophie. Enjoy! (2024.02.18) Bibliography for paid subscribers only, rest of post is public.
  • Holiday “cheer” – Sophie Scholl and my sister Janet. White Rose resistance: Friends who decided they did not have to wait to BE GOOD to DO GOOD. What Sophie Scholl had in common with my sister Janet. (2023.12.12) 
• Katharina Schüddekopf
  • Women of the White Rose: Katharina Schüddekopf. Professor Kurt Huber was her Doktorvater. She was part of the small group on 7/22/1942 that discussed advisability of continuing the leaflets. And she is as good as unknown. That must change. (2022.03.08)