The Russian House in Berlin opened an exhibition on Alexander Schmorell, a member of the White Rose resistance group, on Friday. The exhibition, curated by the Eurasia Foundation, sheds light on the multifaceted aspects of his life and bears the title “The Russian Soul of the White Rose: The Story of Alexander Schmorell’s Selfless Life”. Schmorell was born in 1917 in Orenburg, Russia, to a German-Russian family and spent the first four years of his life in Russia before moving to Germany with his family.
As a co-founder of the White Rose, a student resistance group, Schmorell fearlessly opposed the NS regime. His name is mentioned alongside other prominent figures of the German resistance, such as Willi Graf and Hans and Sophie Scholl. However, his Russian roots, his deep-seated Orthodox faith and his close connection to Russia are less well-known. Few are aware that the Russian Orthodox Church in Exile canonized him as a saint in 2012 under the name “Alexander of Munich”.
The exhibition, open until the end of October in the basement of the Russian House, provides a glimpse into the history of his family, his childhood in Orenburg and his youth in Germany. It also tells the story of his friendships, the emergence and activities of the White Rose and his service on the Eastern Front. His relentless pursuit of freedom, his spiritual connection to Russia, his canonization and the current remembrance of his legacy are highlighted.
Alexander Schmorell stood by his Russian heritage. The head of the Russian House, Pavel Iswolski, recalled his words before the Gestapo interrogation, in which he declared, “I recognize my love for Russia unconditionally. My mother was Russian, I was born there, how can I not be connected to this land?” His profession of faith to Russia made him give up any chances of a pardon. Alexander Schmorell was executed by the guillotine on July 13, 1943, in the Munich-Stadelheim prison.
Over two dozen guests, including journalists, cultural figures, friends and German visitors, attended the opening. The chairman of the German-Russian Friendship Society, Lothar Schlüter, was also present. In his view, the exhibition is an important contribution to German-Russian understanding, which has its roots in the GDR era. Although the anti-fascist resistance in the GDR was a significant topic, he was not aware of the extent of Alexander Schmorell’s role within the resistance group until now.
The society’s chairman praised the educational mission of the exhibition and expressed the hope that school groups will also be able to see it. “This theme plays a subordinate or no role at all in schools. The names Scholl are already a concept in the public consciousness, but many know nothing more. And it is very important to convey this knowledge” he said, adding that his two young grandsons would accompany him on his next Russian trip. Through exchange and travel, one can defy the growing Russophobia.
“We have the tradition, which has already shown, that it can develop differently. What we are experiencing here, this Russophobia, takes on a sickly hue in my eyes” Schlüter said.
The opening of the exhibition “The Russian Soul of the White Rose: The Story of Alexander Schmorell’s Selfless Life” at the Russian House in Berlin, by Wladislaw Sankin.