The White Rose of Munich and the Dark Angels of France
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Liberty Art & Culture Vol. 25, No. 4 Summer 2007 The White Rose of Munich and the Dark Angels of France By Anders Monsen Sophie Schöll: The Final Days Army of Shadows Zeitgeist Films, 2006 Rialto Pictures, 2006 Directed by Marc Rothemund Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville Starring: Julia Jentsch, Fabian Hinrichs, Gerald Alexander Held Starring: Lino Ventura, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse Tucked away amid the blockbusters and Oscar-aimed indepen- trying to change minds through secretly distributed broadsides, the dents in 2006 were two movies that made barely a ripple in America. most pessimistic person might be excused when asking, why bother? Both films looked at almost forgotten episodes in World War II; one As one of the characters remarked, with the alliance of American, dealt with true events in Nazi Germany, and the other fictionalized British, and Soviet forces encircling Germany, it seemed only a mat- experiences during the French occupation by German forces, seen ter of time before Hitler lost. But the point, as these young people from the view of members of the Resistance. Both the members savagely learned, is not that we sit back and let the forces of history of the White Rose, the group of students fighting Hitler’s regime run their course. The point is to “live honest and true lives, even through non-violent means, and the armed fighters of the French though that may be difficult.” Resistance (who often killed informers and collaborators as well Whereas the White Rose group consisted of at least a dozen as the German occupiers), were seen as terrorists by the people in individuals, and seven of these were executed, this movie focuses charge. In this sense, both these movies might be in violation of a mainly on 21-year old Sophie Schöll. The opening act implies that new British law enacted in the same year that these movies came out she played a small role; her brother and two others are seen printing (see review on page 6). Aside from that almost shallow observation, up copies and discussing tactics, while she listens to big band music these two movies actually remind us in different ways of the costs on the radio with a friend. She is almost dragged along as an alibi of resistance against tyranny, and should be watched by any friend when Hans decides to distribute thousands of copies of their latest of liberty. What they lack in the action and entertainment value of effort outside classes during a lecture, and almost is released by the V for Vendetta or The Matrix (two other movies about terrorists), they Gestapo who appear to believe her story that it all was just a lark. But make up for in emotional impact. then things get serious, and under continued interrogation Sophie Sophie Schöll: The Final Days gives us the last six days in the life of changes course, and comes across as intellectually informed and one of the members of the White Rose. This group of students (plus strongly motivated against Hitler in the name of freedom. Sophie a professor of philosophy) and friends attempted, via the writing and distribution of pamphlets, to arouse public sentiment against —Continued on page 9 Hitler. Taking their name from a novel by B. Traven (author of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Ghost Ship, among others), several of its members had experienced life on the Eastern Front, witnessed Inside Prometheus: the terrible persecution of Jews, and upon their return to Munich Matthew Gaylor, RIP decided to take a stand. Always aware of the terrible risks, they Book Reviews: wrote six pamphlets (and were in the process of writing a seventh). The Guardener’s Tale, by Bruce Boston During the bold distribution of the sixth pamphlet at the university The Mount, by Carol Emshwiller in Munich, two of the members (Sophie and Hans Schöll—brother Giant Lizards from Another Star, by Ken MacLeod and sister) were discovered and turned over to the Gestapo. During Brasyl, by Ian McDonald, their interrogation and the subsequent investigation, other mem- Glorifying Terrorism, edited by Farah Mendelsohn bers were reeled in and arrested. Several of the leaders were killed Mappa Mundi, by Justina Robson by guillotine after perfunctory show trials, and their actions in the Empire, by Orson Scott Card latter months of 1942 and early 1943 seemed to have little effect The Jack Vance Treasury, by Jack Vance on the war in general. The final pamphlet did get smuggled out of Germany to England, where it was printed up and dropped over Off Armageddon Reef, by David Weber the country by the thousands, but the war dragged on for another Movie Reviews: two and half years. Sophie Schöll: The Final Days Given the seeming impossible odds facing a small group of students Army of Shadows Prometheus Volume 25, Number 4, 2007 The Libertarian Futurist Society President — Chris Hibbert The newsletter of the Vice President — William H. Stoddard Libertarian Futurist Society Treasurer — Fred Curtis Moulton Secretary — Michael Grossberg Editor Director — Charles Morrison Anders Monsen Assistant Director — Steve Burgauer Contributors Board members Chris Baker David Tuchman Fred Curtis Moulton Victoria Varga William H. Stoddard Joseph P. Martino David Wayland Jorge Codina Lynn Maners Webmaster Tod Casasent Letters and Submissions: Anders Monsen 501 Abiso Ave. Giant Lizards from Another Star San Antonio, TX 78209 By Ken MacLeod [email protected] NESFA Press, 2006 Reviewed by Anders Monsen Subscriptions & Advertisements Libertarian Futurist Society Better known for his nov- expectations shattered, while others 650 Castro St. Suite 120-433 els, Prometheus Award win- affirmed.MacLeod writes non-fiction Mountain View, CA 94041 ning author Ken MacLeod essays often on his blog, The Early Days [email protected] gathers most of his shorter of a Better Nation <http://kenmacleod. fiction in this nicely produced blogspot.com/>, often about the Middle LFS Online: volume by the New England East, Scotland, and Marxism. Several of http://www.lfs.org Science Fiction Association his essays were published in science and (NESFA). However, Giant Lizards from An- science fiction publications, fanzines, and Basic Membership: $25/yr ($30 int’l) other Star isn’t just a short story collection. newspapers. Full Membership: $50/yr MacLeod includes most of his published Some of the most entertaining pieces in Sponsors: $100/yr poetry and a slew of essays on science and the collection include the con reports, usu- Benefactors: $200/yr science fiction, convention reviews, blog en- ally from European cons in what might be Subscriptions: $20/yr ($25 int’l) tries on political events, and some smallish considered the “outer rim” of fandom, such All memberships include one-year subscrip- squibs or fictional future history snippets. as Finland or Croatia. tions to Prometheus. Published in February of 2006 with an edi- The section “About science fiction” tion of only 1200 copies, and sold primarily discusses political aspects as well as the cur- Classified ads: 50 cents/word, 10 percent from NESFA’s web site (www.nesfa.com), rent trends of sf books. MacLeod knows off for multiple insertions. Display ad rates I heard of the book almost by accident and admires fellow writer Charles Stross’s available. All checks payable to the Libertar- late last year. This seems to indicate a lack books, and it’s interesting how these two ian Futurist Society. of marketing, probably because NESFA’s writers living in Scotland have influenced budget limits such an expense. the sf field so much in the past decade. The book is split into sections, each Some of the pieces appear a little too local, grouped together by similarity in form. or maybe incidental. The audience for some Leading off with poetry, then fiction, essays of the essays on Scotland or British politics Prometheus © 2007 the Libertarian Futurist on fiction, essays on science, etc., this makes probably does not extend far into the US, Society. The LFS retains a non-exclusive li- it easy for readers to wander off at leisure but MacLeod is a polished and passionate cense to republish accepted articles on its Web and tackle each section in any order they writer. There is certainly great opportunity site; all other rights revert to the contributor. choose. I started off with the poetry, set via the internet now to learn more about such Letters and reviews are welcome. Bylined the fiction aside for last, and went through matters. Of the handful of fiction stories, the articles are strictly the opinion of the writer the rest of the book first. I took this path two most interesting pieces are the novellas, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of because I had certain expectations going the LFS or its members. into the book, and saw several of those —Continued on page 4 Page 2 Volume 25, Number 4, 2007 Prometheus and with subtle, mainly informational advanced technology. But Weber carefully limits this character’s freedom to act, giving the OOK EVIEWS human characters something meaningful to do in the story. At times B R his plot seems a little predictable—it’s possible to see some of its developments coming—but the machine works: the climactic scenes are still compelling reading. Similarly, though it’s possible to foresee Off Armageddon Reef plot developments of future novels, such as the relationship between By David Weber Charis and the neighboring country of Chisholm, and between their Tor, 2007 respective rulers, it seems likely that they’ll be entertaining. Reviewed by William H. Stoddard Ayn Rand made a distinction between melodrama, in which the conflict is between one person’s values and another’s, and drama, in David Weber is best known for his Honor Harrington series, which characters experience inner conflict among their own values; military science fiction that intentionally recreates both the histori- in those terms, Off Armageddon Reef is almost entirely melodrama.