Sophie Scholl – Die letzten Tage (The Final Days), (2005)

Director: Marc Rothemund
Scriptwriter: Fred Breinersdorfer
Main Casts: Julia Jentsch, Gerald Alexander Held, Fabian Hinrichs
Johanna Gastdorf, André Hennicke
Watched: 13, 14th June 2007
Cinema: Cineleisure Damansara (3:C6)



I’ve come across many people who say, and say it proudly, that they don’t hold any political views, much less interested to spend any mindful thoughts on that subject. Now, since this film picks on freedom of speech, we shall talk about freedom of speech in Malaysia. Yesterday morning, I was waiting for my lift to meet up with my college mates. Waiting, you know is really not fun to do. So without much consideration, I pulled out “The Rocket” – A special edition newspaper produced by our opposition party DAP; and started reading. Out of the blues, I became so self-conscious, that I couldn’t help thinking, “Will I get arrested for reading this in the public?” On cue, my brain reminded me seemingly harmless stories of people who received state punishment for simply saying something that sounded “disrespectful” or “scornful” or “insulting” about this or that minister/ leader.

Reflecting upon my reflex-like reaction, I realized that all my life I’ve been taught not to make political evaluations or comments, not in public, not even in whisper to your friend lest the table we are at is tapped. Even if I hear others say it, they would do it in hush-hush.

This film is also a reconstruction of history. Let me impress you with my learning about Malaysian history. It’s not hard to conclude that many countries like our own were Victims of many colonial powers. Those Vicious Scumbags have robbed our power to rule our Own Kind. Their Prideful and sometimes Pathological Impositions probably have stayed on with us till this day. It’s not our fault that our system of “justice” has a somewhat offset in exercising impartiality. When “Malaysia” birthed out of independence… Hmm… actually, from this point onwards I’m not quite sure if I know what I’m talking about anymore; because I confused myself when the textbook emphasizes on M clubs, C clubs, and I clubs, right after the unification. Anyway, I believe our forefather fought hard for our country’s independence and the governance system. Their successors were all heroic and intelligent in forming our country the way it is now. No doubt, the government makes the best choices possible, I’m sure. I have no questions. Yes, Malaysia, we can!

Sigh… Hitler’s job would have been so much easier if he had more citizens like me.

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Once Upon a Time…

This portion of the story happened 10 years into Hitler government’s dictatorship over Germany – after Churchill and Roosevelt announced that “the war (WW2) can end only with an unconditional German surrender” at Casablanca, and German’s first big retreat at Stalingrad (1). A few German students at University of Munich, who came back from serving the army, formed the “White Rose”.

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Having lived the threat of death at the Eastern Frontline, they took upon themselves to write about the massive loss of young men turned soldiers, innocent Jews, women and children, blown dead at SS rifle tips; and mentally ill patients occupy the gas chambers; Jews or Germans, because they don’t economically produce. The “White Rose” called upon German citizens to measure their leader’s military efforts with the moral yardstick, and to resist laws and policies that violate Godly conscience, even if it means having to admit that Germans are not the superior race over other cultures. They took major risks in disseminating 6 batches of leaflets for this purpose, and on the 6th secret distribution at the empty hall of University of Munich, Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl were spotted and arrested.

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The Fighting

Despite her being one of the heroic Nazi German resistors, Julia Jentsch’s personification of Sophie Scholl isn’t very dramatized. She comes across as unmovable and steadfast to her own beliefs, and offers them only as strongly as respect and composure would allow.

“We fight with words,” said Sophie.

Contrary to mainstream narratives which diligently builds a particular character, I think the “fighting” is exactly what’s dramatized here. Our senses are carried through debate zones to stay with, and feel the tensions along the battle of ideologies. Scriptwriter Fred Breinersdorfer spoke during an interview:

The political dialogue between Mohr, the Gestapo interrogator, and Sophie is my invention because I felt it was necessary to have one scene in the middle of the film so the audience can watch both opinions fighting each other (2).

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Political juxtaposition is almost always verbal in here. A good part of the movie reduced scenes to stage fierce fencing of the foils, allowing us to witness how Sophie craftily attempted to slick away from police charges, only when confronted by incriminating evidences did she give in, yet claimed correctitude even at accusation of high treason. She would later commence gnashing political arguments with the interrogating Gestapo in quick and immediate ping-pong, answered to her communist cellmate, culminating to an unyielding statement put across the court to the President of the People Court, Roland Freisler. A detailed plot description can be viewed here.

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“ You will very soon, stand where we are standing today (as the accused)” - Sophie

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The Leaflet

The content of the 6th Leaflet of the White Rose can be downloaded here.

“Hans Scholl, Sophie Magdalene Scholl, and Christoph Probst have been found guilty of high treason, troop demoralization, and aiding the enemy…”

Roland Freisler, Judge of the People Court.

It is very clear that there’ll be no story had the White Rose not differ in Hitler’s political vision. In fact, any slightest form of deviation could become a state affair. Of course, the criticism here is directed towards Nazi Germany’s conscious intention on killing other cats to feed on their fish; while tacitly understanding their unjustified cruelty, seek to remove any thoughts that might suggest so. Thus, the necessity to ‘catastrophize’ and ‘criminify’ the White Rose’s harmless piece of leaflet. This will become clear if we compare the following pictures in succession:

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An essay needing involvement from the Gestapo

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Essay content so 'damaging' that it requires court examination



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Words found to be so evil that the writer deserves the Guillotine

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And perhaps, we might begin to wonder what kind of mentality would render, an act of patterning blots of ink onto papers to represent one’s thoughts, as a crime that deserves the guillotine?

Trials before the “People’s Court” were conducted in secret, owing to “national security” concerns, and appeals to higher courts were not permitted (3).

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Punch Bags

One thing about movies that talk history is that you can criticize the subject matter as brutally as you feel necessary. Because if ever you are caught denoting insults to a living ruler, there’s always this assumption that movies are merely stuff of imaginations and fiction, thus, any discussions that may stem from it theoretically stay within fantasia-land.

So, anyone of you angry fellows who cannot stand speaking in obscure terms, and seemingly gentle and respectable language, I suggest you consider criticizing movie characters and contents. Punch bags are good for catharsis…

Where is God?

“ The secret of a disciple’s life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of the life is its unobtrusiveness. It is like a corn of wheat, which falls into the ground and dies, but presently it will spring up and alter the whole landscape (John 12:24, parenthesis by author).”

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (June 19)

I’m convinced that I will not find God, in the context of this movie, if I looked for Him outside of Sophie Scholl.

The interrogator asked “How could a society be in order if they were no laws?”

“Conscience” - answered Sophie

Sophie does not shame away from telling in my view, the truth, about God given Conscience, she splats it right at the face of her atheist interrogator. In her urgency to make a point, she was never engaged violence to achieve that end. In this film, she was shown praying for God’s strength in between interrogations and trial. Yes, clear sight of hands clasping together, calling out to Jesus, and even a prayer for Germany as a country, and reciting a bible verse by a prison minister. Her valorous opposition involved supernatural aid.

A Christian review of this film can be viewed at Christianity Today.

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1) The History Place, (1996). World War Two in Europe: Timeline with Photo and Text. Taken from http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/ww2time.htm

2) Richard Phillips (2006). Fred Breinersdorfer, writer of Sophie Scholl-The Final Days, speaks with the WSWS. World Socialist Web Site. Taken from: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/soph-a17.shtml

3) Jacob G. Hornberger, (July 11, 2003). Crossing the Rubicon. Taken from: http://www.fff.org/comment/com0307h.asp

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Sharon Chong, published 20, June 2007
Cineleisure Damansara, MY
:o)