Oskar Schindler was born April 28th ,1908 in Zwittau, Moravia in what was part of the Austria-Hungarian empire, now modern day Czech Republic. He would later be renowned worldwide for his feats of selflessness and courage. And would have many books and films showing his tenacious efforts and skills in saving the lives of over 1,200 Jews from the horrific oppression of the Nazi regime.
However, what is truly amazing about Schindler’s story is how realistic and humanly flawed his character truly was. Schindler was the epitome of what I would define as a modern day hero. Heroism has similar connotations to that of ‘fairy-tale’ and ‘make-believe’ where the hero is incorruptible and perfect. Schindler was by no stretch a perfect hero. In fact he would begin his working life as an intricate part of what he would eventually stand completely against. Schindler joined the Abwehr in 1935 after being arrested several times for drunkenness and having an affair with another woman who bore him two children in the process not your ‘run of the mill’ hero at all then.
Schindler would play a large part in the invasion of Poland by spying for the Nazis. In 1939 he and his team surveyed and reported on Poland’s railway lines. He would continue his work for the Abwehr right until the later end of 1940. It was during the war and after his membership to the Nazi party was confirmed that Schindler would be at his most profitable. The war meant that industry was on the rise as the army would require machinery for weapons,ammunition and transport.
Schindler used his links with the Abwehr to build a rapport with high ranking Nazi officials. He would continue to drink and womanise whilst building business partnerships with the army. Schindler used the taking of Krakow to invest into an enamelling factory which would eventually become the factory of salvation for a lot Jews. Schindler made links with the black market through the Jewish community in the Ghettos. He then started to make cooking equipment as well as ammunitions for the army, thanks to his links with the Wehrmacht. These links would also prove useful later in this story. At this time Schindler was motivated by the same thing that motivates a lot of us today ‘money’. He was a profiteer plain and simple and he used his social qualities to influence the people around him.
This opening description of Schindler’s life does not portray the hero which we are so well acquainted with. During my research I did a small scale questionnaire on what people thought about Schindler’s acts. Some of the word’s I got back were “Heroic, revolutionary, Brave, Protector of innocence, Selfless, inspiring.” None of these words are what I would associate with Schindler at this point in his life. I think this is why I find him more fascinating than other modern day heroes such as Gandhi or Mandela. Schindler was only human like you or me and yet he performed such acts of bravery, devoted his money and his possessions to keep a group of people ,most of whom he didn’t even know, from certain death. I asked another question to members of the public if they would describe themselves as brave. All them replied with no. It makes you wonder what could possibly have made Schindler do what he did. The popular film ‘Schindler’s list’ shows the iconic ‘Girl in the red coat’ scene a scene which according to my questionnaire was one of the more iconic parts of the film.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1VL-y9JHuI
This is Spielberg’s interpretation of the turning point in Schindler’s attitude towards the Jews. Although there is no real record of there being such an event.
Similarly, the end of ‘Schindler’s list’ shows Liam Neeson, who played Schindler in the film, fall to his knees crying that he could not save more. In truth Schindler rejoiced at the end of the war that he had saved so many and was proud of his achievements. Another misinterpretation of Schindler’s character, Schindler was not a humble man and was proud of what he did throughout his days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOoWpTxKJGA
Schindler employed the Jews initially because they were cheap and could work ridiculous hours. It seemed that financial gain was always the deciding factor with Schindler’s early decisions. In my opinion Schindler relationship with the Jews gradually became much stronger over time. Eventually resulting in him having a great affection for them in their plight. The liquidation of the Krakow Ghetto was really the point when Schindler changed his mind about the Nazis and would begin to try and save as many Jews as he could. Amon Goth the commandant at the Plaszow concentration camp was a sadist and Schindler would use Goth to transport more Jews out of the camp into his factory. Schindler was arrested several times in his attempts to save the Jews. But his links within the party always seemed to bail him out.
Initially, Schindler started small when he recruited the Jews. He bribed and bought off all the opposition that got in the way of him acquiring more Jewish workers. Schindler swapped his prowess of persuading people to invest his finances for persuading them to release Jews from the concentration camps. Schindler when to great lengths to protect his Jews who would come be known more affectionately as ‘Schindlerjuden’ or ‘Schindler’s Jews’. Schindler began bribing camp officials to employ families of Jews by stressing the ‘National Importance’ of his enamelling factory. He would then make excuses for the elderly and disabled Jews calling them essential parts of the workforce each having particular jobs to do. As more and more Jews were put to death the increasing pressure on Schindler grew. He began bankrupting himself, giving away all sorts of luxury items to bribe whoever was in his way of protecting his Jews.
Schindler himself recounted a time when the Gestapo entered his factory demanding the papers of members of his workforce. Schindler said in this interview that “Three hours after they walked in, two drunk Gestapo men reeled out of my office without their prisoners and without the incriminating documents they had demanded.” This shows the great lengths Schindler went to in order to save his Jews.If he was found guilty of being a “Jew-lover” as the Nazis put it, he would have been sentenced to live in the concentration camps he had patrolled before with a ‘high and mighty’ air just months before. Schindler began to expand his factory to accommodate more workers. And also began building medical centres, kitchens and office space. Schindler’s wife Emilie would care for his workers in a makeshift hospital throughout the war. For over 4 years he defied the Nazis and worked tirelessly and bravely to save people he had no allegiance to. After the war Schindler and his wife retired to Argentina as did a lot of Nazis post war. Schindler died in 1974 aged 66 and was named ‘righteous among nations’ by the Israeli government after its fabrication in 1948. Oskar Schindler requested to be buried in Jerusalem close to his Jews and is still there today.
Oskar Schindler was no beacon of heroism. In fact he was a drunkard, an adulterer, a womaniser and a profiteer. In the beginning of Nazi Germany Schindler thrived and used his prowess as a business man to make money. Only employing the Jews as a means of cheap labour. However, he saw first hand the cruelty of the Hitler’s Nazis and changed his views and was the saviour of over 1000 Jews who’s descendants number at around 6,000. 2,000 more Jews than the entire Population of Jews in Poland. Oskar Schindler is an icon to those who aren’t brave. A quote from Schindler’s list says “He who saves one life, saves the world entire”.
PROOF READ BY JOSEPH O’HARA 23/04/2015 12:16
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