Today I Learned (TIL)

“How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause... It is such a splendid sunny day, and I have to go. But how many have to die on the battlefield in these days, how many young, promising lives. What does my death matter if by our acts thousands are warned and alerted. Among the student body there will certainly be a revolt”

It’s arguable whether these were Sophie Scholl’s last words but this is what Else Gebel said was the last thing Sophie said to her. She likely had different “last words” at the guillotine but that’s just semantics really