“THE WHITE ROSE”

The Courage to Stand Alone

The Arts Center on the Hudson located at 2 South Main Street, Mechanicville, New York, currently has an art exhibit on display courtesy of the White Rose Foundation in Munich/Germany .  The exhibit is open to the public by appointment (call 518-852-8870) and will be there until the end of May.  This black and white photograph exhibit portrays the story of “The White Rose,” a non-violent movement in Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1943.

Calling themselves “The White Rose,” Sophie Scholl, her brother Hans, and four other core members prepared and distributed six leaflets calling for the German people to stand up to the Nazi oppression and tyranny.  This young energetic group was highly motivated by ethical and moral considerations.

While distributing their sixth leaflet at the University of Munich, the group was arrested, found guilty of treason, and put to death.  As Sophie walked courageously to her death, her last words were:  “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.”

Following Sophie’s death, the Allied Forces received a smuggled copy of the sixth leaflet written by “The White Rose” and later dropped millions of propaganda copies of the leaflet over Germany.  Many believe that this courageous movement by “The White Rose” was the most spectacular moment of resistance in the 20^th century.

In addition to offering the  White Rose Foundation exhibit, the Arts Center on the Hudson is displaying over 200 works of art (paintings, drawings, poetry, sculptures, essays, etc.) created by local students and children from over 30 countries from around the world that depict “The Courage to Stand Alone”.

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