Reflective Journal

Schindler’s list is a 1993 American film directed by the one and only Steven Spielberg which won a total of 7 Oscars in 1994. The film is based off of the life of a German businessman named Oskar Schindler who was moved by World War II and ended up saving the lives of almost a thousand people that were mostly Polish-Jews. Schindler why Schindler decides to use the jews as workers is because they si saves these people’s souls by hiring them and having them work in his factory. Even though Schindler is a member of the Nazi Party he still uses the suppression of jews to his advantage and theirs. The reason mply cost less to pay. Schindler remained in good condition with the Nazis by paying off officials and basically sucking up to them and not provoking anything. When the SS officer Amon Goeth arrives into town he orders the ghetto to be exterminated and the remaining survivors shall be taken to the concentration camp. Schindler sees all of this happen and he is deeply affected and moved by this. One thing in particular that moved Schindler was when he saw the little girl in the red dress hiding from the Nazis. Eventually Schindler sees a red coat lying on a wagon filled with bodies being sent to go be burned and it was at that point he knew that the little innocent girl had been executed. Closer to the ending of the war the Germans knew that they were losing the fight and SS lieutenant Goeth is ordered to send off the remaining Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp where they will most likely be used for there labor and then most likely executed. Schindler takes this into account and he decides to confront SS officer Goeth and asks for all the Jews so that they can help him construct a new munitions factory. SS officer Goeth agrees but it comes with a costly bribe. Schindler creates a list of all the people that are to be transferred to Auschwitz and demands that they shall be saved, hence the tittle of the film Schindler’s list. The train is accidentally redirected towards Auschwitz and once again Schindler must pay a bribe with a bag flu of diamonds. In Schindler’s new factory he does not allow SS guards to enter his production rooms and tell the Jews to observe Shabbat. Schindler does not make any money since he uses almost all of his money in bribing Nazi’s. Schindler completely runs out of money in 1945 at around the same time the  Germans surrender. Schindler must leave the town because he is seen as an enemy to the Red Army since he is a Nazi Party member and a war profiteer. All the SS guards have been ordered at this point to slaughter all the remaining Jews. Schindler persuades the SS officers not to do so by telling them that they can return to their families as men not murderers. At this point Schindler must leave and go west where he is hoping to find Americans to surrender to. Schindler’s list explores two very prevalent themes that keep arising throughout the movie. One being the theme of good versus evil. Schindler is viewed as the good and the SS officer Goeth is viewed as the evil in this film. While we see Goeth stay dark and completely evil throughout the movie we see Schindler transform from a Nazi supporter of war to a rescuer and hero. The second theme that I found pretty important was the theme of redemption. Schindler feels responsible for all the 1,000’s of lives and becomes somewhat of a father figure to the Jews. Schindler’s list will go down as one of the best films that Steven Spielberg has ever directed winning multiple big time awards this film will have an immortal impact in the world of World War II cinema.

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