Resumen de Kurt Hubert Against The Third Reich: A Kantian Analysis

Fernando Centenera Sánchez-Seco

• A professor of philosophy at the University of Munich, Kurt Huber formed part of the White Rose movement and was executed in 1943 for his opposition to the Nazi regime. His is a particularly interesting case for political philosophy, because in his last statement Huber invokes Kant's categorical imperative to justify his action. His claim, however, invites reflection, since Kantian philosophy has generally been considered the paradigm of submission to power. The purpose of this study is to attempt to answer the question of whether Huber's opposition to the Third Reich was indeed consistent with Kantian thought. To this end, an analysis is conducted of his writing (mainly his last statement but also the leaflets distributed by the White Rose), in the light of an interpretation of Kantian thought.