Movies

Holocaust, one of the most appalling incidents in the human history, has been depicted in numerous movies. The most poignant movie which focuses on the topic of holocaust is Schindlers List by Steven Spielberg. The movie presents the story of Oskar Schindler whose efforts resulted in the survival of thousand Polish Jews in the times of the Holocaust. Based on a true story, this movie details the manner in which Schindler, a German businessman emerged as a heroic savior for the Polish Jews. Watching this movie made me realize that even a single person can change the fate of numerous people and write a new chapter in the human history.

The movie introduces Oskar Schindler as a businessman whose only aim is to gain profit from entering into the business of production of things required for war. He succeeds in achieving his aim, as he gets to run a factory which produces mess kits for the army, by bribing SS officials. Pleased with the success in his business, Schindler continues to lavish the Nazis with bribes and employ Jewish Poles in his factory. But one particular event changes the attitude of Schindler and makes him aware of the sufferings of Polish Jews. After witnessing one of the massacres which were carried out during Operation Reinhard, Schindler is moved by the plight of the Jews.  

Even though Schindler was aware of the fact that the massacres of Jews were carried out on the orders of Amon Goth, a captain in SS, he maintains good relations with Goth, and with the aid of bribery secures permission from Goth for building a sub-camp where his workers can stay. Monetary gain was the reason behind Schindlers decision to provide a sub-camp for the workers but with the passage of time he becomes more interested in saving the lives of Jews. By employing the Jews in his factory, he ensured that they were not executed by the Nazis. The final transformation of Schindler from a shrewd businessman to a savior of Jews takes place when the Nazis decide to shift the Jews from Plaszow concentration camp to Auschwitz concentration camp.

Schindler succeeds in persuading Goth to grant him permission to allow him to take his workers to a factory in Zwittau-Brinnlitz. But Schindler had to pay a huge sum as bribe to Goth for keeping his workers with him. Along with Stern, Schindler prepares a list consisting of names of those Jews who were supposed to accompany him to Zwittau-Brinnlitz. Being in this list of Schindler meant life for Jews, for they were saved from being sent to Auschwitz concentration camp. Schindler includes as many Jews as possible in this list and moves most of them to Zwittau-Brinnlitz safely. Some of the Jewish women, who were on Schindlers list, arrive in Auschwitz owing to a mistake. Schindler even saves the lives of these women by bribing the camp commander. In the factory at Zwittau-Brinnlitz, Schindler provides a safe and secure environment for the Jews by prohibiting the SS guards from shooting or torturing them.

The movie shows how the efforts of one person saved numerous Jews from brutal execution. Schindler, whose only aim was to earn as much money as possible when he arrived in Krakow, spends all his money to save the Jews working in his factory. The world views Holocaust with horror and disgust but this movie presents a different aspect of Holocaust which evokes awe and admiration in the minds of people towards a person whose heroic efforts saved a thousand Jews from the clutches of death. The real Schindler saved more than a thousand Jewish workers..even accomplished the unimaginable feat of rescuing some of them from Auschwitz. This films moving coda, a full-color sequence, offers an unforgettable testimonial to Schindlers achievement. (Maslin). This movie made me aware of the fact that an act of humanity carried by an individual can create a huge difference in the lives of numerous people.