The Holocaust In Schindler's List By Thomas Keneally

Set in Cracow, Poland, during World War II, Schindler’s List by Thomas Keneally explores the horrors of the Holocaust and gives a realistic account of Oskar Schindler, a wealthy German factory owner determined to play a role in rescuing as many Jews as he can. In 1939, Oskar Schindler moves to Cracow, Poland to search for a worthwhile career - factory-owning with guaranteed war contracts. He falls into the enamelware business with his factory named Deutsche Emailwaren Fabrik (DEF), which later comes to be known as Emalia. As a smart businessman, Schindler joins the Nazi Party and acquaints himself with prominent men, which serves him well throughout his lifetime, especially as he gets arrested for various crimes. As a morally questionable, …show more content…
The punishment for breaking Reich laws could have “earn[ed] him a multiplicity of hangings, beheadings, [or even] consignments to…Auschwitz” (Keneally, 30). His moral actions could have sent him to exactly the place he was attempting to save his Jews from. Schindler faced the choice of whether to simply let the horrific events occurring to the Jews in Poland occur, or to intervene in any way possible. Schindler did not consider it an option, he believed he had a moral obligation to protect as many Jews as he could, and attempted to give them a semblance of their old life while they resided in Emalia. I believe the main reason Schindler initially became involved with helping Jews was because of his accountant, Itzhak Stern, a Jew. Stern pushed for Schindler to hire Jewish workers so they could stay in Cracow as skilled laborers. Since he has no prejudice towards Jewish men and women, Oskar employed “150 Jewish workers and his factory had a minor reputation as a haven” (Keneally, 72). However, even if Stern had not been so involved in Schindler’s hiring, Oskar may have still chosen to help the Jews. Throughout his lifetime, Schindler never expressed anti-Semitism. Growing up, he lived next to a Jewish family with whom he became good friends with. He also did not particularly care whether someone was a Jew or not: “Stern made his statement: ‘I have to tell you, sir, that I am a Jew.’ …show more content…
Oskar Schindler vowed that “beyond this day, no person could fail to see what would happen. [He] was now resolved to do everything in [his] power to defeat the system” (Keneally, 133). Oskar made himself acutely aware of the heinous crimes the SS committed against the Jews. Under the pretense of factory business, Schindler requested that his workers stay behind overnight at his factory in order to avoid the chaos and horror that epitomized the ghetto. These small acts of dissent give Schindler an unofficial title as an ally to the Jewish population. Oskar Schindler convinced the SS that making his own sub-camp of Płaszów would exploit labor and increase output in production, so in 1943, Emalia was established. Emalia existed simply so Schindler could save some of these Jewish prisoners. They lived a comfortable life where they were free to express their religion, sexuality, and personality. They were supplied with adequate food and lodging, and Schindler even arranged for the “prisoners” to have cigarettes. Anyone who knew about Emalia wished to go there under the supervision of Herr Schindler, but the camp was only large enough for ~1,000 Jews. Through bribery and generous gifts, Schindler exerted his influence over the main Płaszów camp and prevented some unnecessary and excessive

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The Holocaust In Schindler's List By Thomas Keneally

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