SCHINDLER'S LIST
Schindler's List (1993) – The True Story of the Man Who Saved 1,200 Jews
Movies
“He who saves one life saves the world entire.” One German businessman. One list. 1,200 Jewish lives saved from Auschwitz.The true story that became Steven Spielberg’s 7-Oscar masterpiece — and changed cinema forever.
Table of Contents
Plot of the Film
The film is set in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II. Liam Neeson plays Oskar Schindler, an opportunistic German businessman. At the start of the war, he realizes that Jewish workers are a source of cheap labor, so he opens a factory with the sole aim of making a profit. Over time, however, he witnesses the horrific fate awaiting the Jews in his factory at the Nazi camps.
Initially driven purely by money, Schindler grows close to his Jewish accountant Itzhak Stern (played by Ben Kingsley). Together they compile a list that will save more than 1,100 people—later known as the “Schindler Jews”—from certain death. Schindler bribes officials, declares his factory “essential to the war effort,” and spends his entire fortune to keep these people alive. This is where the plot of Schindler’s List transforms into a profound human drama: one man’s moral reckoning and fight for redemption.
Throughout the film, concentration camps, gas chambers, the brutal cruelty of Nazi officer Amon Göth (Ralph Fiennes), and symbolic scenes like the little girl in the red coat leave an indelible mark on the viewer. In short, the Schindler’s List summary is this: the transformation of one man into a hero amid the darkness of war.
Real People and the Actors
Oskar Schindler
Real Person (1908–1974)German businessman and member of the Nazi Party.
Saved **over 1,100 Jews** during World War II.
Declared his factory “essential to the war effort” and paid massive bribes.
Went bankrupt after the war; honored by Israel as a Righteous Among the Nations.
Liam Neeson
Actor (Oskar Schindler)Portrayed Schindler in the 1993 film.
His transformation from opportunistic businessman to conscience-driven hero earned him an Oscar nomination.
The line “Whoever saves one life saves the world entire” became iconic.
Learned a German accent for the role.
Itzhak Stern
Real Person (1901–1969)Accountant at Oskar Schindler’s factory.
Made sure over 1,100 people got on the list.
Survived the Jewish Ghetto and immigrated to Israel after the war.
Known as Schindler’s “unsung hero”.
Ben Kingsley
Actor (Itzhak Stern)Portrayed Stern in the 1993 film.
His quiet, intelligent, and deeply moral performance earned him an **Oscar nomination**.
The line “The list is life” is unforgettable.
Learned Polish and Hebrew for the role.
Amon Göth
Real Person (1908–1946)SS Hauptsturmführer, commandant of the Plaszów concentration camp.
Personally murdered thousands of Jews, infamous for his sadistic cruelty.
After the war, tried in Poland and executed by hanging.
One of the most symbolic monsters of the Holocaust.
Ralph Fiennes
Actor (Amon Göth)Played Göth in the 1993 film.
His chilling, psychopathic Nazi earned him an Oscar nomination.
The scenes of him shooting randomly from his balcony are unforgettable.
Studied German and an Austrian accent for the role.
Poldek Pfefferberg
Real Person (1913–2001)Worked at Schindler’s factory and was one of the people on the list.
Immigrated to the United States after the war and told Schindler’s story to Thomas Keneally.
Served as a consultant during the film’s production.
Jonathan Sagall
Actor (Poldek Pfefferberg)Played Poldek in the 1993 film.
Working with Spielberg became the highlight of his career.
Julian Scherner
Real Person (1895–1945)SS-Oberführer, SS and Police Leader in Kraków.
Directly responsible for the liquidation of the Kraków Ghetto.
Andrzej Seweryn
Actor (Julian Scherner)Played the cold Nazi officer with chilling menace in the 1993 film.
Diana Reiter
Real Person (1902–1943)Polish Jewish civil engineer.
Was shot dead by Amon Göth in Plaszów camp.
Elina Löwensohn
Actor (Diana Reiter)Her brief but shocking execution scene left audiences stunned.
Rudolf Höß
Real Person (1901–1947)First commandant of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Responsible for the deaths of over **1.1 million people**.
Hanged in 1947.
Hans-Michael Rehberg
Actor (Rudolf Höß)Played the ice-cold Nazi commandant in a short but unforgettable scene.
Based on a True Story: The Legacy of Oskar Schindler
Schindler's List is adapted from Thomas Keneally’s novel Schindler’s Ark, which is based on the real memories and accounts of Oskar Schindler and the survivors. Schindler truly saved more than 1,100 Jews and went bankrupt after the war. Today he is honored at Yad Vashem as a Righteous Among the Nations. While the film represents the six million victims of the Holocaust, it focuses on individual stories of rescue and survival.
Amon Göth, played by Ralph Fiennes, was a real Nazi officer – commandant of the Plaszów camp – and was executed after the war. Spielberg shot the film in black-and-white to give it a documentary feel… with the sole exception of the famous little girl in the red coat!
Why Schindler’s List Is Required Viewing – 10 Soul-Shattering Reasons
- The girl in the red coat scene will haunt you forever
The only color in a black-and-white film. Pure genius.
- Liam Neeson’s final breakdown: “I could have saved more…”
You’ll cry like never before.
- Ralph Fiennes as Amon Göth is the most terrifying villain in cinema history
You’ll never forget his balcony shootings.
- 7 Oscars including Best Picture & Best Director — and deserved every one
- Spielberg donated all his profits to Holocaust foundations
- The real Schindlerjuden appear at the end placing stones on his grave
You won’t have a dry eye in the theater.
- It’s not just a movie — it’s a memorial to 6 million victims
- John Williams’ violin theme is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written
- You’ll never take freedom for granted again
- Because some stories are too important to forget
And this is the most important one ever filmed.
In short: This isn’t a film you watch. It’s a film that changes you forever.
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