A German physician and activist who resisted the Nazi regime, particularly through his involvement in the White Rose resistance group, distributing anti-war leaflets and advocating for nonviolent protest.
Willi Graf, a German member of the White Rose resistance group, is renowned for his unwavering stance against the Nazi regime during World War II. As a devout Catholic, Graf risked his life to spread anti-Nazi propaganda, earning him a place in the Catholic Church's list of martyrs of the 20th century.
Born on January 2, 1918, in Kuchenheim, near Euskirchen, Graf was raised in a Catholic family. In 1922, his family moved to Saarbrücken, where his father ran a wine wholesaler and managed the Johannishof, the second-largest banquet hall in the city. Graf attended the Ludwigs Gymnasium, where he developed his strong convictions and moral principles.
At the age of 11, Graf joined the Bund Neudeutschland, a Catholic youth movement for young men in schools of higher learning. This organization was banned in 1933 after Hitler and the Nazis came to power. Undeterred, Graf joined the Grauer Orden (Grey Order) in 1934, another Catholic movement known for its anti-Nazi rhetoric. When the Grauer Orden was also banned, Graf and like-minded individuals formed splinter youth groups to continue their resistance.
Graf demonstrated exceptional courage by refusing to join the Hitler Youth, a compulsory association for young Germans at the time. Despite the threat of becoming ineligible to attend university, Graf remained steadfast in his beliefs, even crossing out the names of friends who had joined the Hitler Youth in his address book.
In 1935, at the age of 17, Graf participated in an annual May Day parade, deliberately standing out from the Nazi-dominated procession by marching under his school flag and refusing to wear swastikas or participate in Sieg Heil salutes. This bold act of defiance foreshadowed his future involvement in the White Rose resistance group.
Graf's involvement with the White Rose, a secret group of students and intellectuals who distributed anti-Nazi leaflets, began in 1942. The group's efforts were eventually discovered, and Graf was arrested on February 18, 1943. After a sham trial, he was executed by guillotine on October 12, 1943, at the age of 25.
In 2017, the Catholic Church opened Graf's cause for beatification, recognizing him as a Servant of God, the first step toward possible sainthood. His courageous stance against the Nazi regime serves as an inspiration to generations, cementing his place in history as a symbol of resistance and moral conviction.
Born in 1921
A young German student who led a non-violent resistance movement against the Nazi regime during World War II, distributing anti-war leaflets and advocating for democracy and human rights.
Born in 1918
A German anti-Nazi activist who distributed thousands of leaflets denouncing the Nazi regime, calling for passive resistance, and advocating for democracy and human rights.
Born in 1880
Croatian entomologist who discovered and described numerous insect species, particularly beetles, and contributed significantly to the field of entomology.
Born in 1900
Leading the SS and Gestapo, he oversaw the Nazi regime's brutal security apparatus and implemented the "Final Solution," orchestrating the genocide of six million Jews during World War II.
Born in 1889
The dictator of Nazi Germany, responsible for the genocide of six million Jews and millions of other people during World War II, and infamous for his extreme nationalist and anti-Semitic ideology.
Born in 1897
A mastermind of Nazi propaganda, he crafted a persuasive narrative that fueled the Third Reich's rise to power, leaving a lasting impact on the world.
Born in 1894
A high-ranking Nazi official who flew to Scotland on a solo mission to negotiate peace with the UK, but was instead arrested and imprisoned.
