Oswkar Schinler

Chris Gossen
Mr. Manuel
English 1010-Section L08
7 December 2010

Oskar Schindler's Struggle
In the 1930’s, twenty years before World War II, Oskar Schindler joined the Nazi party, because of the economic depression and his family’s bankruptcy. This is where his story of heroism began. But his story did not end here. In fact, it continued on through WWII, where Oskar Schindler found his true purpose in life, saving Jews from Nazi oppression.
On April 28, 1908 a baby boy was born to Hans and Louisa Schindler, in Zwittau, Austria-Hungary now part of the Czech Republic. His name was Oskar Schindler. Oskar's father was a factory owner and his mother was a homemaker.   He had a younger sister named Elfriede, who even with a seven-year age difference he was still close to. Together they grew up in a very privileged world. Oskar had many childhood playmates among who were the two sons of a local rabbi. He and his sister were raised Roman Catholic but at an early age, Oskar was lead into a life of sin. He attended a German-speaking school while growing up. After attending various trade schools in Brno, Moravia, and marrying his wife, Emilie Pelzl, at age nineteen, Oskar held many different jobs including working at his father’s farm machinery business, opening a driving school in Sumperk (Moravia), and selling government property in Brno.
By the time 1935 came around, many Sudeten Germans had joined the pro-Nazi Sudeten German Party. Schindler joined, not out of any love for the Nazis, but because it made business sense. For a while in 1938, he served in the Czechoslovak army and became a lane corporal in the reserves.CHARACTER
Oskar Schindler’s character was somewhat questionable. Yet most forgave him because of the lives he saved. He was often characterized as being unfaithful to his wife and also was described as a drunk. Even with Schindler’s negatives, he had one redeeming attribute: his overwhelming willingness to help the Jews.
Even his wife Emilie... [continues]

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