die Weiße Rose

Memorial lecture by Federal President Joachim Gauck on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the execution of members of the "White Rose" resistance group on January 30, 2013 in Munich

leise

quiet(ly)

zusammen

together

Nieder mit Hitler!

Down with Hitler!

vielleicht

maybe, perhaps

(ein) wenig

wenige

(a) little

a few

gleich

immediately (also same)

schuldig/unschuldig

guilty/not guilty (innocent)

ungefähr

about (as in approximately)

für das Recht und für die Freiheit

for justice and for freedom

sondern

rather/on the contrary (conjunction)

Nun wird alles besser werden in Deutschland.

Now everything will get better in Germany. (Newspapers/radio said then when Hiter was elected.). Germany was desperate and would listen to anyone who promised to make things better.

damals

back then, at that time

begeistert

excited

Wir liebten unser Vaterland und konnten kaum sagen warum.

We loved our fatherland and could barely say why. This represents the hyperinflated patriotism of Nazi Germany achieved by propaganda and brainwashing.

Glaubt ihnen nicht!

Don't believe them! Parents told children not to believe in Hiterjugend propaganda and what the Nazis told them.

anstrengend

strenuous

grossartig

great/ awesome

Wir wurden plötzlich ernst genommen in einer merkwürdigen Weise.

We were suddenly taken seriously in a weird way. This represents the ability of children to denounce one another and their elders while they were a part of the Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend). This practice was encouraged.

erwachsen

grown/ adult

zufrieden

satisfied/ content

unruhig

restless, uneasy, troubled

aus anderen Ländern

from other countries

merkwürdig

strange, odd, curious, weird

zu dieser Zeit

at this time

besonder

special, especially

langsam

slow, slowly

bei Tag und bei Nacht

day and night

erlaubt/nicht erlaubt

allowed/ not allowed

schliesslich

in the end, in conclusion

geweiht

dedicated

bewegungslos

motionless, still

daneben

next to that

von da an

from then on, from that point on

niemand

nobody, no one

schrecklich

terrible, horrible, scary

unheimlich

scary

möglich/unmöglich

possible/impossible

so etwas

something like that, such a thing

wenig später

a little bit later

verschieden

different, various

ander

other, different

trotzdem

in spite of that, nevertheless

unter den Studenten

among the students

eigentlich

actually, really

auf der Suche

on a search for

bald

soon

verheiratet/alleinstehend

married/ single

aus diesem Grund

therefore, thus, for this reason

gefährlich

dangerous

auf dem Boden

on the floor

genug

enough, sufficient

deshalb

deswegen

that's why

therefore, because of that

deutlich/undeutlich

clear/unclear

immer noch

still doing something

vorsichtig/unvorsichtig

careful/careless

so weit

so far

vor einiger Zeit

some time ago, a while ago

ungewöhnlich

unusual

Niemand wusste, wer der Nächste war.

No one knew when was next. This was representative of that terroristic rule of the Nazis. No one wanted to speak out for fear they'd be taken away. This helped control uprisings.

endlich

finally, at last

heutig

current

täglich

daily, every day

zahllos

countless, innumerable

Ach

oh

wenn jeder wartet, bis der andere anfängt...

if everyone waits until someone else starts.... This was the call from die WR to the German people to be the catalyst.

Jeder einzelne muss dagegen kämpfen, so viel er kann.

Every individual must fight against it, Every individual must fight against it

Das Weiterlaufen von dieser Kriegsmaschine muss aufhören.

The continuation of this war machine must stop. Die WR recognized that those profiting from the war were supporting its continuation for gain.

nie und nie(mals)

never ever

Er hatte die Grenzen übersprungen. Für ihn gab es kein Zurück mehr.

Hans had crossed the line. There was no going back for him now. Sophie knew when she found out the WR was written by Hans that he would never be safe again.

da und dort

here and there

ab und zu

once in a while, now and then

hörbar

audible, hearable

leer

empty

fern

far away

geisteskrank

mentally ill; insane

irgendwo

somewhere

nur über meine Leiche

over my dead body (a doctor at the Heilanstalt disappeared after telling soldiers they could not take the patients away to kill them). It was mainly children who were gassed in converted school buses.

polnische Station

Polish train station

stolz

proud

reif

mature (also ripe)

nun

now

seit einiger Zeit

for some time

ebenso

just as, as well, likewise

dazwischen

between, in the meantime

lautlos

silent

Hass ist unser Gebet.

Hatred is our prayer. A headline from a Nazi newspaper.

ziemlich

really, very

überfüllt

overfilled, overcrowded

vorbei

past, over

geduldig, ungeduldig

patient, impatient

früher

earlier, previously

in dieser Weise

in this way

verwirrend

confusing, perplexing, bewildering

niemals

never

besonders

especially

sofort

immediately, right away

beeindruckt

impressed

vorher

beforehand