Conscience before Conformity tells the story of German students who dared to speak out against Hitler and the Third Reich, and died for their beliefs. Operating under the name of the White Rose, they printed and distributed leaflets condemning Nazism and urging Germans to offer non-violent resistance to the 'atheistic war machine'. By looking at the cultural and religious journey of the protagonists, Hans and Sophie Scholl, we can see what made them change from active participants in the Hitler Youth to leaders of the White Rose resistance. These modern-day heroes were deeply influenced by intellectuals they met in secret, and by the writings of great Christian thinkers such as St Augustine, Pascal, Georges Bernanos, and Bl. John Henry Newman. What they learnt gave them the strength to put their consciences before conformity to the Nazi lie.
Paul Shrimpton has lived in Oxford since 1977, studying at Balliol College, then teaching at Magdalen College School. As an historian of education, he has been researching the educational ideas and practice of John Henry Newman for three decades. Besides various papers and chapters, he has published three books: A Catholic Eton? Newman's Oratory School (2005) a study of the foundation and early life of the first Catholic public school in England; The 'Making of men': the Idea and reality of Newman's university in Oxford and Dublin (2014); and Conscience before conformity: Hans and Sophie Scholl and the White Rose resistance in Nazi Germany (2018). The latter is a study of the cultural and religious background of the White Rose students which brings out the influence of Newman and others. He has also completed a critical edition of Newman's Dublin university papers, which were published posthumously in 1896, My Campaign in Ireland, Part I (2021). Dr Shrimpton has set up a website, based on The 'Making of men', at www.ideaofauniversity.website His critical edition of My Campaign in Ireland, Part II appeared in 2022 along with a festschrift for the great Newman scholar Ian Ker entitled Lead Kindly Light. Essays for Ian Ker.
