Oskar SchindlerOskar Schindler

1908-19741908-1974

QuestionQuestion

Who was Oskar Schindler?Who was Oskar Schindler?

What did he do to be recognized?What did he do to be recognized?

Early LifeEarly Life

Born April 28, 1908 in Born April 28, 1908 in Svitavy, which is now , which is now located in the modern located in the modern day Czech Republic.day Czech Republic.

Many Jewish FriendsMany Jewish Friends

As a Young ManAs a Young Man

Was a charming Was a charming playboyplayboy. . – Liked fast cars and fast Liked fast cars and fast

womenwomen Womanized, partied, Womanized, partied,

motorcycle races, drank, motorcycle races, drank, and gambledand gambled

– As a As a businessmanbusinessman, used , used WWII as an opportunity WWII as an opportunity to make to make moneymoney

During WWIIDuring WWII

Became a member of the Became a member of the Nazi PartyNazi Party– It was necessary to get government It was necessary to get government

contractscontracts– Believed in their ideologyBelieved in their ideology

Used his charm, Used his charm, black marketblack market connections, and influence to connections, and influence to become friends with the higher ups become friends with the higher ups in the Nazi Partyin the Nazi Party

During WWIIDuring WWII

Through his Nazi connections, and Through his Nazi connections, and motivated by motivated by profitprofit, Schindler gained , Schindler gained control of an control of an enamelwareenamelware factory in factory in Krakow, PolandKrakow, Poland

During WWIIDuring WWII

Schindler with Prominent Schindler with Prominent Nazi OfficersNazi Officers

During WWIIDuring WWII

PolandPoland

During WWIIDuring WWII

EnamelwareEnamelware

During WWIIDuring WWII

Schindler’s enamelware Schindler’s enamelware factoryfactory

During WWIIDuring WWII

Krakow contained one of many Krakow contained one of many Jewish Jewish ghettosghettos, which was a small , which was a small area of town where the Jews were area of town where the Jews were forcibly relocated by the Nazisforcibly relocated by the Nazis

Schindler used Schindler used JewishJewish labor from the labor from the ghetto because it was the ghetto because it was the cheapestcheapest form of labor availableform of labor available

During WWIIDuring WWII

1940-800 workers1940-800 workers Good conditionsGood conditions Extra foodExtra food NO SNOW!NO SNOW!

During WWIIDuring WWII

For reasons For reasons unknown, during this unknown, during this time, Schindler time, Schindler transformed from a transformed from a profiteeringprofiteering Nazi, to a Nazi, to a protectorprotector of his of his Jewish workers.Jewish workers.– His workers were His workers were

called the called the SchindlerjudenSchindlerjuden

– He often referred to He often referred to them asthem as “my children” “my children”

During WWIIDuring WWII

Quotes from SchindlerQuotes from Schindler– "I hated the brutality, the sadism, and the "I hated the brutality, the sadism, and the

insanity of Nazism. I just couldn't stand by insanity of Nazism. I just couldn't stand by and see people destroyed. I did what I and see people destroyed. I did what I could, what I had to do, what my could, what I had to do, what my conscience told me I must do. That's all conscience told me I must do. That's all there is to it. Really, nothing more." there is to it. Really, nothing more."

During WWIIDuring WWII

"The persecution of Jews in the General Government in Polish territory gradually worsened in its cruelty. In 1939 and 1940 they were forced to wear the Star of David and were herded together and confined in ghettos. In 1941 and 1942 this unadulterated sadism was fully revealed. And then a thinking man, who had overcome his inner cowardice, simply had to help. There was no other choice."

During WWIIDuring WWII

Measures taken to protect his workersMeasures taken to protect his workers– BribedBribed guards and Nazi higher ups in order guards and Nazi higher ups in order

to gain provisions such as proper food and to gain provisions such as proper food and medicinemedicine

– Lied about workers Lied about workers agesages and and occupationsoccupations so that they would be deemed necessary so that they would be deemed necessary to the war effort, and kept in his factory to the war effort, and kept in his factory and out of death campsand out of death camps

– Beatings and shooting of his workers were Beatings and shooting of his workers were prohibitedprohibited

During WWIIDuring WWII

In 1943 the ghetto was In 1943 the ghetto was liquidatedliquidated and the Jewish residents were and the Jewish residents were transferred to Plazsow, a transferred to Plazsow, a concentration/work camp.concentration/work camp.– Through bribes, and his connections Through bribes, and his connections

with Amon Goeth, the German with Amon Goeth, the German commander over the camp, Schindler commander over the camp, Schindler was able to establish a branch of his was able to establish a branch of his factory outside of the camp.factory outside of the camp.

During WWIIDuring WWII

In 1944, Schindler created his now In 1944, Schindler created his now famous list of workers, and had them famous list of workers, and had them transferred to a transferred to a munitionsmunitions plant in plant in Czechoslovakia, where they stayed Czechoslovakia, where they stayed for the remainder of the war.for the remainder of the war.– The plant The plant nevernever made usable munitions made usable munitions– Schindler had spent Schindler had spent millionsmillions of dollars of of dollars of

his own money to help save his Jewish his own money to help save his Jewish workers from Hitler’s Final Solutionworkers from Hitler’s Final Solution

Schindler’s ListSchindler’s List

1,000 workers on his list were saved from 1,000 workers on his list were saved from executionexecution

After WWIIAfter WWII

Schindler fled to Argentina pennilessSchindler fled to Argentina penniless His marriage failedHis marriage failed He returned to Europe, and the He returned to Europe, and the

survivors from his factory helped him survivors from his factory helped him financiallyfinancially

He died in 1974 in GermanyHe died in 1974 in Germany He was proclaimed “He was proclaimed “righteousrighteous” by the ” by the

Jewish peopleJewish people He was eventually laid to rest in IsraelHe was eventually laid to rest in Israel

Schindler’s GraveSchindler’s Grave

The MovieThe Movie

The EndThe End