Honoring Traute Lafrenz (1919-2023): A Reminder to Stand Up Against Oppression
Traute Lafrenz would most likely be sentenced to death when the Gestapo arrested her for the second time. But three days before her trial was scheduled to begin in April 1945, the Allies liberated the prison where she was being held. And after that narrow escape from death at a young age, she continued her long life until she passed away in South Carolina three days ago.
Traute Lafrenz was the last surviving member of the White Rose, the German resistance movement that, in 1942-43, dared to speak out against the Nazi regime in Germany.
The White Rose resistance movement
I had not planned to write about the White Rose again, so soon after this post and this one. I had scheduled another story that will now likely follow on the weekend, but reading about the death of Traute Lafrenz at the age of 103 made me realize the possibly long and beautiful lives these young resistance heroes were willing to sacrifice to end the nightmare of fascism.
Despite the personal cost, the White Rose members took a stand against the Nazi regime. This courage and willingness to fight against oppression still inspire people worldwide, especially those living under authoritarian regimes today. And their actions demonstrate that even in the face of extreme violence and repression, non-violent resistance can be a powerful tool for change. The group wrote and distributed pamphlets criticizing the Nazi regime and quoted from the great literary works of German history, including Goethe and Schiller.
Standing up for what is right
Above all, they inspire because of their motivation by a deep sense of moral conviction. Their commitment to justice and human rights is a powerful reminder of the importance of standing up for what is right.
They and so many others who fought fascism sacrificed their lives so that we could live in freedom. But, unfortunately, I believe that too many people today have forgotten the price paid to stop the horror of the authoritarian regimes that ruined hundreds of millions of lives in the first half of the 20th century. And they don't realize how flirting or even outright supporting leaders with fascist fingerprints all over them is a recipe for disaster.
White roses popping up all over the planet
White roses are popping up worldwide in oppressive regimes. I often read about these brave resistance fighters who use only words as weapons and may or may not be remembered by the next generations. Many will never know.
But Traute Lafrenz was one of the few who survived and lived the lives stolen from six White Rose members. Her passing marks the end of an era and the loss of an important historical witness. In May 1941, in her early twenties, she moved to Munich to study medicine, and it was there that she met members of the White Rose like Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst.
Traute often attended talks and discussions of the White Rose group, and in late 1942, she distributed the third White Rose flyer in Hamburg. In February 1943, Hans and Sophie Scholl were arrested while distributing leaflets at the University of Munich. The rest of the group, including Traute Lafrenz, were apprehended shortly after. Six members of the White Rose were tried and executed for high treason.
Life after the Nazi regime
It is impossible to know what could have become of the members of the White Rose had they not been executed. But if Traute Lafrenz's life may serve as an example of life after the Nazi regime, it shows how much they were all willing to sacrifice for freedom because hers was a long and happy one.
After the war, she emigrated to San Francisco and worked as a medical resident in a hospital. In 1948, she married Vernon Page of Texas, and together they formed a medical practice in a small town in California. Later the growing family moved to Evanston, IL. There, she became an early practitioner of the anthroposophical-inspired holistic medical approach. Let me quote from her obituary, which mentions that, in later years, Traute became director of the Esperanza school in Chicago, and in 1993, Traute and Vernon moved to Charleston, SC. On her 100th birthday, the German embassy presented Traute with Germany's Order of Merit cross for her participation in the White Rose and defense of humanity.
On the day of her death, a handwritten letter from Germany's president arrived, conveying his respect.
Traute Lafrenz's life and legacy serve as a reminder of the power of individual action in the face of oppression. Her bravery and commitment to justice will continue to inspire people worldwide to fight against injustice and stand up for what is right.
I hope her legacy may continue to inspire future generations.
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Notes:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/White-Rose
https://obits.postandcourier.com/us/obituaries/charleston/name/traute-page-obituary?id=49800057
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/09/traute-lafrenz-the-last-of-the-white-rose-anti-nazi-resistance-dies-aged-103?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traute_Lafrenz#cite_note-7
Fighting for what one knows is right can be a lonely, arduous, and criticized path. And it's often driven by internal factors as much as external ones. I can only imagine how often Traute Lafrenz was told, "it's not that bad," or asked, "is it really worth it?" Her answer was yes, and she was blessed to be given a long, productive life after. But, in my heart I know it forever changed her in ways many people might never understand.
Betrayed by fellow members and imprisoned by the Nazis, her story is one of personal and political triumph. I'm so happy she'll be long remembered and honored.
Katrin Seybold's documentary, "Die Widerständigen. Zeugen der Weißen Rose" (The Resisters. Witnesses of the White Rose), is worth a watch for the first-hand accounts. And Michael Verhoeven's 1982 "The White Rose," tells the story of Sophie and Hans Scholl.
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Alex, this is a lovely, moving tribute to a truly brave and courageous human being. I find it tremendously reassuring and life-affirming to learn about people who spoke up, who acted amidst difficult circumstances.