The story begins in 1939, as World War II engulfs Europe. The Nazi regime expands its reach, and Jewish communities across Poland face persecution under the Third Reich. Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a charming and opportunistic German businessman, arrives in Kraków, Poland, seeking to profit from the war. A member of the Nazi Party, Schindler has no ideological alignment but recognizes an opportunity to make money by producing enamelware for the German military. With his suave demeanor and willingness to bribe Nazi officials, Schindler quickly ingratiates himself with high-ranking officers.
Lacking the expertise to run a factory, Schindler partners with Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley), a Jewish accountant. Stern, a reserved and intelligent man, helps Schindler establish his business. He uses Schindler’s factory to provide employment to Jewish workers, ensuring they are deemed “essential” and thereby exempt from deportation to labor camps. Schindler views this as purely pragmatic, as Jewish labor is cheaper than hiring Polish workers, but Stern sees it as a means to save lives. As Schindler’s factory becomes operational, the German occupation intensifies its crackdown on Kraków’s Jewish population. Jews are forcibly relocated to the Kraków Ghetto, a walled-off and overcrowded district. Scenes of brutality and dehumanization unfold as families are torn apart, their belongings seized, and their rights stripped away. Despite the grim circumstances, Stern continues recruiting Jews to work in Schindler’s factory, subtly protecting them from the Nazi machinery.
As Schindler’s factory becomes operational, the German occupation intensifies its crackdown on Kraków’s Jewish population. Jews are forcibly relocated to the Kraków Ghetto, a walled-off and overcrowded district. Scenes of brutality and dehumanization unfold as families are torn apart, their belongings seized, and their rights stripped away. Despite the grim circumstances, Stern continues recruiting Jews to work in Schindler’s factory, subtly protecting them from the Nazi machinery.
In 1941, the situation worsens with the arrival of Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes), a sadistic and ruthless SS officer. Goeth oversees the construction of the Plaszów labor camp and later leads the liquidation of the Kraków Ghetto. In a harrowing sequence, German soldiers raid the ghetto, slaughtering its residents in the streets or deporting them to concentration camps. Schindler witnesses the massacre from a hilltop, disturbed by the chaos and violence. Amid the horror, his attention is drawn to a small girl in a red coat—a rare use of color in the otherwise black-and-white film—who wanders through the devastation. The girl’s innocence and vulnerability leave a lasting impression on Schindler.
At Plaszów, Goeth revels in his power, indiscriminately executing prisoners for minor infractions. Schindler befriends Goeth, recognizing that the SS officer’s favor is essential to his business. Over time, Schindler begins to shift from self-interest to moral responsibility. The turning point comes when he sees the red-coated girl’s body among the dead, her coat now gray with soot. Deeply affected, Schindler resolves to save as many Jews as he can.
Schindler devises a plan to expand his factory and declares it a “subcamp” of Plaszów, ensuring that his workers are protected from deportation. He bribes Goeth and other Nazi officials, convincing them to allow him to create a list of Jews needed for his factory—this becomes the titular Schindler’s List. Stern compiles the list, meticulously recording over 1,000 names of men, women, and children. Each name represents a life saved from certain death.
As the tide of the war turns against Germany, the Nazis escalate their efforts to exterminate the Jewish population. Goeth receives orders to dismantle Plaszów and send the prisoners to Auschwitz. Schindler intervenes, negotiating for the transfer of his workers to a new factory in Brünnlitz, Czechoslovakia, where he claims they will produce ammunition for the war effort. In reality, Schindler ensures that the factory produces faulty shells, rendering them useless for combat.
The journey to Brünnlitz is fraught with danger. A train carrying the women on Schindler’s list is mistakenly redirected to Auschwitz. In one of the film’s most harrowing scenes, the women are sent to the gas chambers. At the last moment, they are spared due to Schindler’s relentless bribery and intervention. The women are redirected to Brünnlitz, where they join the men in relative safety.
At Brünnlitz, Schindler’s factory becomes a haven. He spends his fortune on bribes and supplies to sustain his workers, ensuring their survival until the war’s end. Despite his financial ruin, Schindler maintains his commitment, demonstrating a profound transformation from a profit-driven opportunist to a compassionate savior.
In May 1945, Germany surrenders, and the war ends. Schindler gathers his workers and informs them that they are free. However, as a member of the Nazi Party and a war profiteer, Schindler must flee to avoid capture by the Allies. Before departing, the workers present him with a letter explaining his actions and a ring inscribed with the Talmudic phrase, “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire.”
As Schindler bids farewell, he breaks down, lamenting that he could not save more lives. He points to his car and gold pin, realizing they could have been exchanged for additional lives. Stern and the workers reassure him that his efforts were extraordinary, but Schindler remains overcome with guilt.
The film concludes with a poignant epilogue. Goeth is captured and executed for his war crimes, while Schindler, despite his heroism, struggles in post-war life. A final sequence transitions to the present day, where the surviving “Schindlerjuden” and their descendants honor Schindler at his grave in Jerusalem. They place stones on his headstone, a Jewish tradition symbolizing respect and remembrance. Text on the screen reveals that over 6 million Jews perished in the Holocaust, but the 1,100 saved by Schindler and their descendants now number in the thousands.
Leave a Reply