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Oskar Schindler

Origin: Svitavy, Czech Republic
(April 28, 1908 - October 9, 1974)

Heroic Values: Achievement, Caring, Courage, Integrity, Perseverance, Selflessness, Tolerance

Background

Oskar Schindler was born to a very religious family in what is now the Czech Republic. His best friends as a child were a pair of Jewish brothers. He followed his family trend and became a businessman. He managed to take advantage of the German invasion of Poland. He took over the running of a factory and began to produce enamelware. His plan was to use the slave labour of Jews to make himself a large profit to support his "playboy" lifestyle.

At some point his priorities changed and he started to use his influence and money to protect his workers. He risked serious retribution for his actions and was arrested a number of times. His ability to bribe Nazi officials and talk his way out of trouble led to the survival of approximately 1,300 Jews. Many have tried to discover Schindler's motivations, including Steven Spielberg who directed the film, "Schindler's List", however, they have never been determined.

Oskar Schindler is remembered for his determination to protect his workers from the inhumane treatment handed out by Nazi Germany. He took risks over a number of years to protect them, forgoing his earlier desire for a flamboyant life.

Sources

Wikipedia
The online encyclopedia

Homepage
"His list of life"

Remember.org
A hero essay