Oskar Schindler
- Born:
- 28 April 1908, Zwittau, Austria-Hungary (now Svitavy, Czech Republic)
- Died:
- 9 October 1974, Hildesheim, West Germany
- Nationality:
- German
- Profession(s):
- Industrialist, Spy, Righteous Among the Nations
Early Life and Education
- Born into a Sudeten German family with industrial interests.
- Received technical education, but did not complete formal schooling.
Career and Major Achievements
- Early business ventures included managing various enterprises.
- Joined the Nazi Party in 1939.
- Acquired a Jewish-owned enamelware factory in Kraków, Poland, called Deutsche Emailwaren-Fabrik (DEF).
- Saved approximately 1,200 Jews from the Holocaust by employing them in his factories, thus preventing their deportation to extermination camps.
- Risked his life and financial resources to protect his Jewish workers.
- Post-war, faced financial difficulties and received support from Jewish organizations.
Legacy and Impact
Oskar Schindler is remembered for his extraordinary efforts to save Jewish lives during the Holocaust, earning him the title of Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem. His story has become a symbol of individual courage and resistance against genocide.
Notable Works
| Work | Description |
|---|---|
| Schindler's Ark (novel by Thomas Keneally) | Fictionalized account of Schindler's life and actions. |
| Schindler's List (film directed by Steven Spielberg) | Academy Award-winning film based on Keneally's novel, bringing Schindler's story to a global audience. |
Understanding Oskar Schindler's biography in two sentences can be challenging given the complexity of his life, but it boils down to this: Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who saved approximately 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories; his story is memorialized in literature and film, solidifying his legacy as a Righteous Among the Nations.