Oskar Schindler Museum Test Prep App
German industrialist, Holocaust rescuer — Schindler’s List, Righteous Among the Nations, saved ~1,200 Jewish lives
Righteousness Hall
Oskar Schindler — Germany (1908–1974)
Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist who became known for saving the lives of more than a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust. Although initially motivated by business opportunities during the war, Schindler gradually used his influence, resources, and personal courage to protect Jewish workers from persecution and death under the Nazi regime. Through his factory operations and strategic negotiations with Nazi authorities, Schindler provided employment and protection to Jewish workers who otherwise faced deportation to concentration camps. His actions ultimately saved approximately 1,200 lives, making him one of the most recognized rescuers during the Holocaust.
Historical Context & Moral Transformation
Schindler, a Nazi Party member, acquired a factory in occupied Poland, initially employing Jewish workers as inexpensive labor.
As he witnessed Nazi persecution of Jews, Schindler’s attitude changed. He began protecting his workers from deportation and death.
When the Kraków labor camps were liquidated, Schindler arranged to move his factory to Brünnlitz, creating a list of over 1,000 Jewish workers whose lives were spared.
Schindler was honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations for risking his life to save Jews during the Holocaust.
Righteous Act: Saving Jewish Workers
Oskar Schindler’s most significant contribution was his effort to protect Jewish workers from deportation to Nazi concentration camps. He bribed officials, falsified production records, and argued that his workers were essential to the German war effort. In 1944, he created “Schindler’s List” — a document that included more than 1,000 Jewish men and women whose lives were spared from extermination. He spent his personal fortune on bribes and risked arrest multiple times, yet he prioritized the safety of his workers over his own wealth and security.
Legacy: A Symbol of Moral Transformation
Oskar Schindler is remembered as one of the most remarkable rescuers during the Holocaust. After the war, the people he saved — “Schindlerjuden” — preserved his memory with gratitude. His story gained international recognition through Thomas Keneally’s book Schindler’s Ark and Steven Spielberg’s film Schindler’s List. Today, Schindler stands as a powerful reminder that individual courage and compassion can make a profound difference even during times of widespread injustice and violence.