Oskar Schindler’s Museum

Have you seen the movie Schindler’s list? 

Oskar Schindler was a wealthy German businessman, a member of the Nazi party, a womanizer, unfaithful to his wife, had two children with another woman, and had a problem with alcohol.

But he saved 1,200 Jews from extermination. Hid them in plain sight, right under the Nazis’ noses.

He initially hired the Jews to work in his factory because of cheap labor. Hitler forced businesses to pay them much less. Then Schindler saw what was happening and had a major turnaround. He spent all his wealth protecting these Jews, lying to the Nazi’s about how essential they were to his factory of manufacturing ammunition for the war.

This photo was taken in 1942, with Schindler on the left petting a horse. The photo on the right is his desk.

The Jews gave him a title, “A Righteous Gentile.”  He asked Israel if he could be buried there when he passed. People can easily find his tomb on Mt. Zion because many rocks have been placed on it. We prefer flowers on graves; the Jews prefer rocks.  

The Wall Outside of the Factory Museum displaying Schindler’s Jews

If you do go to Krakow, I suggest booking a tour to Auschwitz in advance. Private tours are booked 3 months out. The museum is quite crowded, and the tour was rushed. I wanted to pause and ponder what happened there but had to keep moving. I wish I had done a private tour.  Also, buy tickets ahead for the museum and do a tour. Otherwise, people stand in line for a couple hours to get in. Be aware that the cabs charge a fee to take you to Schindler’s Museum, the airport, etc. and then charge double to return you. Other than that, I was very grateful to be able to go there.

What speaks to you about Oskar Schindler?