Oskar Schindler

Date of Birth: April 28, 1908

Zodiac Sign: Taurus

Date of Death: October 9, 1974

Biography

Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist and a member of the Nazi Party who is credited with saving the lives of 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware and ammunitions factories. Born in 1908 in Zwittau, Moravia, Schindler was initially involved in a variety of business ventures before World War II. During the war, he took over a factory in Kraków, Poland, where he employed Jewish workers, protecting them from deportation to concentration camps. Schindler’s efforts were later immortalized in Thomas Keneally’s book “Schindler’s Ark” and Steven Spielberg’s film “Schindler’s List.” Despite his heroic actions, Schindler struggled financially after the war and relied on assistance from Jewish organizations. He died in 1974 and is buried in Jerusalem.

5 Interesting Facts about Oskar Schindler

1. Oskar Schindler was awarded the title of “Righteous Among the Nations” by Yad Vashem in 1963.

2. Schindler was a member of the Nazi Party, which he joined in 1939.

3. He was known for his charm and ability to bribe Nazi officials, which significantly contributed to his success in saving Jews.

4. The factory where Schindler employed Jewish workers was known as Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik (DEF).

5. After World War II, Schindler moved to Argentina in 1949 but later returned to Germany in 1958.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Oskar Schindler

1. “He who saves a single life saves the world entire.”

2. “I knew the people who worked for me. When you know people, you have to behave towards them like human beings.”

3. “I hated the brutality, the sadism, and the insanity of Nazism. I just couldn’t stand by and see people destroyed.”

4. “The persecution of Jews in the General Government had become so frightful and so vast that it was impossible to stay out of it.”

5. “If you saw a dog going to be crushed under a car, wouldn’t you help him?”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his career during World War II, Schindler amassed a significant fortune; however, exact figures are not well-documented. After the war, his net worth diminished considerably, and he died almost penniless.