LEADER 03672cam a2200421Ki 4500001 274143 005 20191127111624.0 008 131108s2013 miua rbm 000 0 eng d 035 (OCoLC)ocn862422400 040 GZM |beng |erda |cGZM |dGZM |dOCLCQ |dOCLCO |dOCLCF 024 8 UMI 3590813 049 LHMA 099 IN PROCESS / English Thesis 100 1 Richards-Wilson, Stephani, |d1963- |edissertant. 245 10 Willi Graf of the White Rose : |bthe role of Bildung in his decision to resist National Socialism / |cby Stephani Richards-Wilson. 264 1 Ann Arbor, MI : |bProQuest LLC, |c2013. 300 2 volumes, iv, 443 leaves : |billustrations (some color) ; |c29 cm 336 text |btxt |2rdacontent 337 unmediated |bn |2rdamedia 338 volume |bnc |2rdacarrier 500 Advisor: Marc D. Silberman. 520 Abstract Willi Graf was a twenty-five year old medical student at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich who was executed by the National Socialists (Nazis) on October 12, 1943, for high treason. In the summer of 1942, Graf became a member of the White Rose, a group of students who produced six leaflets and distributed thousands of copies calling for resistance to the Nazi dictatorship. Although the history of the White Rose has been portrayed in numerous books and is well known in Germany, the more charismatic members of the circle have often overshadowed Graf's story and his contributions to their resistance efforts. Graf, in contrast, was quiet, pensive, and unassuming. He was the only member of the White Rose to oppose Nazi ideology from the start of the regime. He led a full life and spent his limited free time reading, writing, reflecting, and attending cultural events. He read works by authors from different countries, centuries, and literary movements and genres. He studied German, French, Russian, Greek, and Latin. Writers and thinkers shaped his mindset and impacted his self-development or Bildung. The demands of the Third Reich and war infringed upon his convictions, personal relationships, membership in Catholic youth groups, and ability to reach his full potential, prompting him to seek guidance from authors who shared his humanitarian concerns or Christian faith, such as Ernst Wiechert, Reinhold Schneider, Romano Guardini, Josef Pieper, Johannes Maaßen, and Werner Bergengruen. The purpose of my dissertation is to research the development of Graf's moral courage by examining his self-edification as documented in his diaries and personal correspondence. I examine the influence of these writers and texts, as well as others, and explore the role of Bildung in his decision to actively resist National Socialism. Bildung prompted him to search for existential meaning and others who shared his humanistic ideals, to question authority and to think for himself, to lead a purposeful life, and to find a way to remain true to his beliefs. 502 |bPh. D. |cUniversity of Wisconsin--Madison |d2013 504 Includes bibliographical references (leaves 429-443). 653 Germanic literature. 653 Holocaust studies. 653 Spirituality. 653 Bildung. 653 Catholic Resisters in Nazi Germany. 653 Student Resistance. 653 Third Reich. 653 White Rose. 653 Willi Graf. 655 7 Academic theses. |2fast |0(OCoLC)fst01726453 655 7 Academic theses. |2lcgft 776 08 |iOnline version:Richards-Wilson, Stephani. |tWilli Graf of the White Rose. |w(OCoLC)856029024 856 41 |uhttp://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/PJHY2YLU6DJIW9E 852 0 |breceiving |kShelved at 79-2-2