HE WAS NO HERO!. Review on Schindler's List - Thomas Keneally

This Book was originally called SCHINDLER'S ARK and changed to SCHINDLER’S LIST. It was made into a movie called Schindler’s List that was produced by Steven Spielberg.

The Author is Thomas Keneally, (who was born in Australia but now lives in California). It was Published in 1993 by the Schribner Paperback Fiction Company.

The Book would never have been written if the Author had not taken his Briefcase to be repaired at a Leather Shop that was owned by Leopold Pfeifferberg, (one of the People Schindler helped).

The Book is suppose to be a true story of Oskar Schindler. Some of what he did is true but other parts were embellished!

The Book will at least show you how some Jews were saved by this Man. It forgets to tell you that his Wife, (who he divorced and did not give her any alimony), talked him into saving some Jews.

It also forgets to tell you that by saving thousands’s of Jews from Hitler's Death Camp he did this by getting permission to use them in his Factory as ''Slave Labour''.

BACKGROUND:

At the time Hitler many People did not know or didn't want to believe that Jews were being sent to Concentration Camps.

Adolf Hitler was voted, (in a Democratic Election), to become the Chancellor, (the head ),of Germany. Germany had lost WW I and the economy was not in a great shape.

He decided to blame the Deformed People, the Jews and the Gypsies for this happening. He accused them of ''deluding'' the ''Master Race'', (Germans).

MY REVIEW:

Oskar Schindler was born in Czechoslovakia in an area known as Sudetenland, (this was where many of the German born Czechoslovakian's lived). He went to Krakow, Poland to open an Enamel Factory. He was married but he committed adultery often.

He was a ''Sport'' and loved to spend money and treat other People when he went out. He liked to pretend he was ''Royalty'' and many People treated him like he was because they wanted his gifts and be invited to his Parties.

One day he saw thousands of Jews being arrested. One of them is a young Girl dressed in a bright red dress. Schindler’s sees the total futility of Hitler’s solution where even the young and other innocent People aren’t spared from his brutality.

Schindler goes home and talks to his Wife about what he saw. Together they decide how they can save some Jews and help their Factory as well.

He was a member of the Nazi Party who need help so he went to see Itzahk Stern, (an Accountant), and ask him to convince some wealthy Jewish Businessmen to invest in his Factory.

Stern told the Men he approached that they would be helping to save Jews who would go to work in Shindler's Factory. Shindler forged documents that said they were ''skilled Factory workers''. In reality they were Artists, Intellectuals and Professors, (every one of the Men and Women were well educated).

You will read about the atrocities committed on Women, Babies, Children, older People and young Men.

They managed to save around 3000 Jews from dying. He did this by keeping up his good relations with the German Officers who were in charge by bribing them.

One day there was a raid on the Factory and Schindler, his Wife and his Jews were arrested. If you want to know the ending you will have to read the Book or see the Film.

By the end of the War there were 1100 names on his ''Schindlerjuden'' list. I am sure many of you know what happened during WWII to the all the People who lived in Europe and the Armies of other Countries who helped stop the Nazi's.

If you would like to read more about Oskar Schindler the web page is:

https://mjsd1.ca/~grassroots/2001/Dalgarno/oskarschindler.html

THE AUTHOR:

Thomas Keneally also wrote ''Homebush Boy'', ''American Scoundrel'' and ''The Office of Innocence'.

MY THOUGHTS:

This Book isn't the greatest one on the times of Germany during WW II, (Ship Of Fools), is much better. However it does show the reader what happened to some Jews during the Holocaust. SCHINDLER was not the only non-Jew who helped save Jews during this time. Also not all German People belonged to the Nazi Party.

Shindler was no hero, (to me), his motives were to make money.The Book is written as narrative.

It does have some Historical value because it brings the events that transpired to younge People who don't remember WW II.

Oscar Schindler died in Frankfurt, Germany but he is buried in the Mount Zion Catholic Cemetery in Jerusalem, Israel, (the Survivors paid for this). He has been honoured at the Yad Vashem Museum as being a ''Righteous Gentile''.

I paid $20.00 CAD for the paperback. ISBN: 0671880314

Comments are always welcome and ratings don't matter.

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