Alexander Schmorell

German activist

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 20, 2026

Quick Summary

Alexander Schmorell was a German medical student at the University of Munich and a founding member of the White Rose, an anti-Nazi group. The White Rose advocated for nonviolent resistance against the Nazi regime. Schmorell, along with fellow students Hans Scholl and Willi Graf, witnessed the murder of Jewish civilians by SS troops on the Eastern Front. Upon returning to Munich, they, along with others including Sophie Scholl, began publishing leaflets that expressed their opposition to the Nazi government. These leaflets, distributed through mail and later by hand, also included anti-Nazi graffiti. Schmorell was arrested and subsequently executed in 1943.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

White Rose
members—Hans Scholl, Willi Graf, and Alexander Schmorell—were medical students at the University of Munich. While on the Eastern Front, the trio observed the murder of Jewish civilians by SS troops. When they returned to Munich, the three joined with other students—including Hans’s sister Sophie—to discuss their opposition to the Nazi…
Read More
members—Hans Scholl, Willi Graf, and Alexander Schmorell—were medical students at the University of Munich. While on the Eastern Front, the trio observed the murder of Jewish civilians by SS troops. When they returned to Munich, the three joined with other students—including Hans’s sister Sophie—to discuss their opposition to the Nazi…
Read More