Schindler's List

The book I have read it was a contemporary of Thomas Kennelly’s famous novel. It was published for the first time in 1982 under title “Schindler´s Ark”.

The book tells the true story of Oscar Schindler - a rich, German businessman who risked his life almost every day during the Second World War to save as many Jews as possible.

Oskar Schindler, the hero of the story, was born in 1908 in a middle - class German family, he had a happy, careless childhood. After he finished his education he started to work at his father´s factory and he got married to Emily - a young, religious girl, who reminded of his own mother.   

After his father went bankrupt, Oskar, who was very intelligent and charming and had many business contacts easily found a new job as a sales manager.

As a young man Oskar was not interested in history or politics although he became a member of the Nazi Party to get better contracts from Germans. Nothing indicated that words from Talmud “He who saves a single life, saves the entire world” will become a motto of his life.

The Nazis invaded Poland in September 1939, and then Oscar who was only 29 years old at that time, got the proposal to start a new business in Krakow - Poland, gradually he opened a factory there.

 Oscar was always a man who loved the luxury life: good food, drinks and beautiful women..The turning point in his life was when he saw what the Nazis were doing with Jews in the ghetto, he saw how they were killing children, women and men. He understood then the devil`s plan of exterminating Jews and realized what Holocaust means. He started to employ Jews in his factory and he always treated them well and with respect. The job at his factory was for Jews the only chance to survive; otherwise they were sent to concentrations camps and died in gas chambers.

He was accused many times for being a “Jews lover”, he was also arrested a couple of times, but with the help of his high – ranking German friends he always managed to get free. During the war he spent millions on bribing Nazis to save as many human beings as he could. He succeeded to save around 1.200 Jews. After the war he lived in Germany and for a while in Argentina where he started a new business, but for many reasons he did not succeed. After the war, according to his wife’s words, “he had done nothing impressive with his life”.

“The Schindler Jews” never forgot him and in 1961 Schindler was formally honoured in Tel Aviv in the Park of Heroes and he was declared an Honourable Person for saving the lives of more than 1.200 Jews.

He died in Berlin in the autumn in 1974 and, according to his wishes, he was buried in Jerusalem.

In 1993, one of the most famous American directors - Steven Spielberg created a film “Schindler´s list” based on the book, which was a great success and won seven Oscars. Millions of people around the world got to know the history of Oskar Schindler´s heroism.

It was a great book to read, mainly because it tells the true story; the language was easy to understand. I recommend reading it; I think everyone should know this incredible story.

Written by Ewa.