Hans Conrad Leipelt
Encyclopedia
Hans Conrad Leipelt was a member of the White Rose
resistance
group in Nazi Germany
.
Leipelt was born in Vienna
. His father was a graduate in civil engineering
, and his mother a chemist
from a Christian
family with Jewish roots. In 1925, the family moved to Hamburg
, where Hans did his Abitur
in 1938, and then reported to the Reichsarbeitsdienst
and the Wehrmacht
. He was decorated with the Iron Cross
second class and the Tank Destruction Badge
in June 1940 during the French campaign
. He was dishonourably released from duty because he was a Mischling
first grade.
In the autumn of 1940, he began his chemistry
studies at the University of Hamburg
, but transferred in the 1941-1942 winter semester to the University of Munich, as student of Heinrich Otto Wieland
. This was only possible because Wieland had some freedom because he had received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
in 1927. In February 1943, Leipelt received the White Rose's sixth leaflet and, together with Marie-Luise Jahn
, began using a typewriter
to make copies of it to distribute about Hamburg. When they were both collecting money for the executed Professor Kurt Huber
's widow, they were denounced and arrested. Leipelt was sentenced to death on 29 January 1945 in Donauwörth
by the Volksgerichtshof. Jahn was given a 12-year labour prison (Zuchthaus) sentence. Leipelt's beheading followed in Stadelheim Prison
in Munich.
White Rose
The White Rose was a non-violent/intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany, consisting of students from the University of Munich and their philosophy professor...
resistance
German Resistance
The German resistance was the opposition by individuals and groups in Germany to Adolf Hitler or the National Socialist regime between 1933 and 1945. Some of these engaged in active plans to remove Adolf Hitler from power and overthrow his regime...
group in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
.
Leipelt was born in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. His father was a graduate in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
, and his mother a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
from a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
family with Jewish roots. In 1925, the family moved to Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, where Hans did his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in 1938, and then reported to the Reichsarbeitsdienst
Reichsarbeitsdienst
The Reichsarbeitsdienst was an institution established by Nazi Germany as an agency to reduce unemployment, similar to the relief programs in other countries. During the Second World War it was an auxiliary formation which provided support for the Wehrmacht.The RAD was formed during July 1934 as...
and the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. He was decorated with the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
second class and the Tank Destruction Badge
Tank Destruction Badge
The Tank Destruction Badge was an award given to individuals of the Wehrmacht who destroyed an enemy tank single-handedly by an hand-held weapon. Anti-tank units were not eligible for this award...
in June 1940 during the French campaign
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. He was dishonourably released from duty because he was a Mischling
Mischling
Mischling was the German term used during the Third Reich to denote persons deemed to have only partial Aryan ancestry. The word has essentially the same origin as mestee in English, mestizo in Spanish and métis in French...
first grade.
In the autumn of 1940, he began his chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
studies at the University of Hamburg
University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg is a university in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded on 28 March 1919 by Wilhelm Stern and others. It grew out of the previous Allgemeines Vorlesungswesen and the Kolonialinstitut as well as the Akademisches Gymnasium. There are around 38,000 students as of the start of...
, but transferred in the 1941-1942 winter semester to the University of Munich, as student of Heinrich Otto Wieland
Heinrich Otto Wieland
Heinrich Otto Wieland was a German chemist. He won the 1927 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research into the bile acids. In 1901 Wieland received his doctorate at the University of Munich while studying under Johannes Thiele...
. This was only possible because Wieland had some freedom because he had received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
in 1927. In February 1943, Leipelt received the White Rose's sixth leaflet and, together with Marie-Luise Jahn
Marie-Luise Jahn
Marie-Luise Jahn was a German physician and a member of the anti-Nazi resistance movement White Rose.Jahn was born in Sandlack, East Prussia , where she grew up. From 1934 to 1937 she attended school in Berlin and began her studies in chemistry at the University of Munich in 1940...
, began using a typewriter
Typewriter
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with keys that, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. Typically one character is printed per keypress, and the machine prints the characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the pieces...
to make copies of it to distribute about Hamburg. When they were both collecting money for the executed Professor Kurt Huber
Kurt Huber
Kurt Huber was a member of the White Rose group, which carried out resistance against Nazi Germany.-Early life:...
's widow, they were denounced and arrested. Leipelt was sentenced to death on 29 January 1945 in Donauwörth
Donauwörth
Donauwörth is a city in the German State of Bavaria , in the region of Swabia . It is said to have been founded by two fisherman where the Danube and Wörnitz rivers meet...
by the Volksgerichtshof. Jahn was given a 12-year labour prison (Zuchthaus) sentence. Leipelt's beheading followed in Stadelheim Prison
Stadelheim Prison
Stadelheim Prison, in Munich's Giesing district, is one of the largest prisons in Germany.Founded in 1894 it was the site of many executions, particularly by guillotine during the Nazi period.-Notable inmates:...
in Munich.