# Oskar Schindler

> German industrialist and Holocaust rescuer (1908–1974)

**Wikidata**: [Q60029](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q60029)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskar_Schindler)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/oskar-schindler

## Summary
Oskar Schindler was a German industrialist and Holocaust rescuer (1908–1974) who saved over 1,100 Jewish workers from extermination during the Nazi regime. Recognized posthumously as a Righteous Among the Nations, he is best known for his efforts to protect Jewish lives through his enamelware factory in Kraków, Poland.

## Biography
- Born: April 28, 1908, in Svitavy, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic)
- Nationality: German
- Education: Attended secondary school in Brno, Czechoslovakia
- Known for: Saving over 1,100 Jews during the Holocaust
- Employer(s): Owner of Schindler’s Enamel Factory in Kraków
- Field(s): Industrialism, Holocaust rescue

## Contributions
- **Schindler’s Enamel Factory**: Operated a factory in Kraków that employed Jewish workers, shielding them from Nazi persecution by paying bribes and falsifying records.
- **Holocaust Rescue**: Saved approximately 1,100 Jewish individuals by ensuring their employment and documentation.
- **Posthumous Recognition**: Awarded the Righteous Among the Nations (1963) and other honors for his humanitarian efforts.

## FAQs
**What was Oskar Schindler’s most significant achievement?**
Schindler saved over 1,100 Jewish workers from the Holocaust by employing them in his enamelware factory in Kraków, where he provided false documentation and bribed officials to protect them.

**How was Oskar Schindler recognized for his actions?**
He was posthumously awarded the Righteous Among the Nations (1963) and received other honors, including the Order of St. Sylvester and the Jan Karski Courage to Care Award.

**What was the significance of Schindler’s Enamel Factory?**
The factory served as a cover for Schindler’s rescue efforts, allowing him to employ Jewish workers while protecting them from deportation and extermination.

**How did Oskar Schindler die?**
He passed away on October 9, 1974, in Hildesheim, West Germany.

## Why They Matter
Oskar Schindler’s actions during the Holocaust are a testament to individual courage and moral resistance against Nazi atrocities. His efforts to save Jewish lives through his factory demonstrate the power of human compassion in the face of oppression. His legacy continues to inspire discussions on ethics, heroism, and the moral responsibility of individuals in times of crisis. Schindler’s story is central to Holocaust education and serves as a reminder of the importance of standing up against injustice.

## Notable For
- **Righteous Among the Nations**: Posthumously awarded for saving Jewish lives during the Holocaust.
- **Order of St. Sylvester**: Received for his humanitarian efforts.
- **Jan Karski Courage to Care Award**: Honored for his rescue activities.
- **Schindler’s Enamel Factory**: Provided a cover for Jewish workers, shielding them from persecution.
- **Holocaust Rescue**: Saved approximately 1,100 individuals through employment and documentation.

## Body

### Early Life and Career
Oskar Schindler was born on April 28, 1908, in Svitavy, Czechoslovakia (now part of the Czech Republic). He attended secondary school in Brno before moving to Germany, where he worked in various industries. Schindler became an industrialist, eventually owning and operating his own business, Schindler’s Enamel Factory, in Kraków, Poland.

### Holocaust Rescue Efforts
During the Nazi occupation of Poland, Schindler’s factory employed Jewish workers, many of whom were at risk of deportation and extermination. To protect them, Schindler paid bribes to Nazi officials, falsified records, and ensured the workers’ employment. His efforts saved approximately 1,100 Jewish individuals, including his wife, Emilie, and his Jewish secretary, Mimi Reinhardt.

### Posthumous Recognition
After Schindler’s death in 1974, his actions were recognized posthumously. He was awarded the Righteous Among the Nations by the Israeli government in 1963, an honor bestowed on non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Schindler also received the Order of St. Sylvester and the Jan Karski Courage to Care Award for his humanitarian efforts.

### Legacy and Influence
Schindler’s story has been immortalized in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 film *Schindler’s List*, which brought global attention to his actions. His legacy continues to be studied in Holocaust education and serves as a symbol of moral courage. The Schindler’s Enamel Factory in Kraków has been preserved as a memorial to his efforts.

### Personal Life
Schindler married Emilie Pelzl in 1938, and together they had two children. His wife and secretary, Mimi Reinhardt, were among the Jewish workers he saved. Schindler passed away on October 9, 1974, in Hildesheim, West Germany.

### Affiliations and Honors
Schindler was affiliated with Mimi Reinhardt, his Jewish secretary, and Emilie Schindler, his wife. He received multiple honors, including the Righteous Among the Nations, the Order of St. Sylvester, and the Jan Karski Courage to Care Award. His actions have been documented in various historical accounts and films.

## References

1. [Records of persons of interest](http://svazky.cz/test/svazkyMT.php?jmeno=Oskar&prijm=Schindler&dnar=28.04.1908&hledej=Hledat)
2. Integrated Authority File
3. The Righteous Among the Nations Database
4. BnF authorities
5. International Standard Name Identifier
6. [Source](https://chapman.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/5/resources/515)
7. [Source](https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn503485)
8. [Source](https://portal.ehri-project.eu/units/il-002798-4019733/search?inline=true)
9. [Arolsen Archives](https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/en/document/70197084)
10. SNAC
11. Find a Grave
12. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
13. Great Norwegian Encyclopedia
14. GeneaStar
15. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
16. Virtual International Authority File
17. [Source](http://svazky.cz/test/svazkyMT.php?jmeno=Oskar&prijm=Schindler&dnar=28.04.1908&hledej=Hledat)
18. Autoritats UB
19. BBC Things
20. Bibliography of the History of the Czech Lands