Traute Lafrenz, Interview I

Traute Lafrenz is a German-American physician and anthroposophist, who was a member of the White Rose anti-Nazi group during World War II. She completed her medical studies at Saint Joseph’s and afterward ran a private practice. She served from 1972 to 1994 as head of the Esperanza School.

Lafrenz arrived at the Maximilian University in Munich in May 1941 to continue her medical studies; she met fellow students Hans Scholl, Willi Graf, Alexander Schmorell, Christoph Probst, and Sophie Scholl. They became distressed over National Socialism and took action by writing and distributing anti-Nazi leaflets. Calling themselves The White Rose, they distributed 10,000–12,000 leaflets by mail or by placing them in public locations. Group members were arrested in 1943, and then executed or imprisoned by the Nazis.