Oskar SchindlerHe was a German from Czechoslovakia Born in 1908Raised a strict catholicThere were Jews in his class at schoolHe lived next door to a rabbi growing upBefore the war, he was a small time salesman

and not very successful

What kind of man was SchindlerPeople called him:

A swindlerAn opportunist“Der grosse Lebemann” (Emilie Schindler, his

wife), “a man who loves to live life to its fullest.”Charming, vain, handsome, womanizer,

alcoholic, flamboyant, gambler, risk takerLoved living life on the edge, and to be the

center of attentionLiked to play the playboy spy.

How did the Germans see himFor the Nazi party, he was a party member

since 1939.He was a loyal agent for military intelligence.He was used as a spy. He provided for the war

effort.He provided Polish army uniforms to German

provocateurs who attacked a German border radio station the night before the invasion of Poland. The station was said to have been overrun by “Polish” soldiers. Actually, it was Germans dressed as Poles. This provided an excuse to invade. (CONTENDED POINT)

Schindler during the warWas arrested repeatedly (3 times by the SS).Usually arrested for black market fraud.His connections always got him out.He ended up being the only German to save

more than 1,000 Jews from the death camps.

Schindler’s motivationPoint of some debate among the Schindler

Jews.Some said he was an opportunist who

saved the Jews because it was self-serving, or because he loved to outwit the SS.

Others believed his motivation to be purely to save lives.

But for most of the Schindler Jews, they simply know that he saved them and that is all that matters.

The Change of HeartOne survivor claims he witnessed Schindler’s

change of heart.After seeing an SS officer called Goeth shoot

two girls shortly before they died from hanging, Schindler got ill in front of everyone, turned to the survivor and stated that he would never work for the Germans again.

He was also moved by the liquidation of the Krakow Ghetto.

He did show “his Jews” kindnessHe permitted them to observe holidays.He went to great lengths to make them feel

safe.He slept in the factory himself, although a

villa was available in Brinnlitz.He provided extra food and medicine.Some of this is portrayed in the film.

History vs. the FilmAt the end of the war, Schindler had to

flee because the Russians would have shot him without a trial.

Some of his Jewish workers smuggled him out as a camp survivor.

Unlike the film portrayal, however, he escaped in a Mercedes full of valuables.

These were later looted and stripped from him and he arrived with nothing in the American zone.

While with the AmericansHe gave American investigators evidence

against his former Nazi drinking buddies.American Jews helped get him to

Switzerland.

After the warHe lived in different parts of West Germany. He lived for a time with Jews in Argentina.His grand schemes never worked out.He was at his best during war time.He lived in Israel for a time and was celebrated,

and bestowed the title of righteous gentile. A tree was planted for him in the avenue of the righteous.

When he returned to Germany, he lived in poverty and obscurity.

Over 10,000 Jews living today are direct descendents of the Schindler Jews.

Schindler’s deathHe died at age 66 of a failed heart and liver.He was buried in Israel in 1974.His grave is shown in the film at the end.

KrakowThe story takes place in Krakow.26% of the population was Jewish.Shows the Krakow-Plaszow labor camp.In Krakow during the Holocaust, the Jews

invited a wall around their ghetto to protect them from Polish citizens.

Krakow was a bastion of Jewish culture, but also of anti-Semitism.

The Jews thought of the walls as a fortress against anti-Semitism.

KrakowWhen the Nazis came, the Jews almost

willingly moved to the ghetto.They expected to need their fortress, they

knew that there was a great deal of hatred toward them in the Polish population.

Origins and endsSophia Magdalena SchollBorn May 9th 1921Died February 22nd 1943

Early daysSophie was the fourth of five children.Her father was the mayor of her home

town.Sophie was raised a Lutheran. She

entered grade school at the age of seven, learned easily and had a carefree childhood. In 1930, the family moved to Ludwigsburg and then two years later to Ulm where her father had a business consulting office.

Later daysShe entered secondary school at the age of twelve.There she developed strong political views against

the fascism spreading through Europe and Germany.

after serving six months in the national labor service she enrolled at the University of Munich.

The white roseIn the summer of 1942, a

group of young men — including Willi Graf, Christoph Probst and Hans Scholl (Sophie's brother) — co-authored six anti-Nazi Third Reich political resistance leaflets. Calling themselves the White Rose, they told Germans to passively resist the Nazis after witnessing a group of naked Jews being shot in a pit.

We will not be silent. We are your bad conscience. The White Rose will not leave you in peace!

Sophie joinsHans tried to keep his sister from knowing

about their activities but she soon found out.Though Sophie did not take part in the

production of the leaflets she did take an active roll in their distribution.

ArrestedSophie and the rest of the White Rose were

soon caught by the Nazis.Sophie and her brother were sentenced to

death.She died in a guillotine on February 22nd

1943.…your heads will fall as well.

A Young Martyr Sophie Scholl was a brave

and courageous young woman who helped spread awareness of the evil of the Third Reich.

After her death a copy of the sixth leaflet was smuggled to England were it was copied and millions were dropped on Germany in mid-1943.

Her memory lives on today