Oskar Schindler Research Paper

The Holocaust: a truly gruesome period of history, and many lost their lives in its wake. Many attempted to alleviate some of the suffering the persecuted endured, such as Oskar Schindler. An affluent German businessman who helped the Jews in every way he could, whether it through his bribes, or via his influence in the Nazi Party. He exhibited qualities of a truly inspiring leader in all he did to save innocent lives. His life affected many Jews, because he saved their lives and went to all measures to ensure their safety. Schindler did so much for the Jews, although he did not always possess the altruistic traits he displayed toward the Jews during the Holocaust. Prior to his work during the war, he drank heavily and had womanizing tendencies. He also progressed through many character issues before reaching the point in his character when he …show more content…
He started off not having the best intentions in his original hiring of Jews, since he was originally attempting to exploit cheap labor, but these intents soon changed when he saw the intensity of the struggles the Jews he hired could be facing if not under his care. This included his hiring of the “essential,” Jews, who he prioritized because he saw them as potentially being the most threatened. He ended up saving over a thousand lives, and ten to fifteen thousand of the thousands descendants remain today because of his actions. He also helped the Jews by instructing them to create defective products to give the Germans, so they did not have to support a cause that was killing their people and many others. He used influence in the Nazi party to carry out bribes with his wealth and cunning, even though it did not yield him anymore profit, and eventually lead him into debt. The gain he took from such actions was the satisfaction of saving people who would go on and honor him and his name, whether he knew they would or