Zoe Lowery - Oskar Schindler

CHAPTER ONE

LOVE IN THE TIME OF HITLER

N o matter where it occurs, spring is a time of optimism and renewal. Things were no different in the mountain region of the old empire, especially after such a long winter. All of the town of Zwittau appeared to be brimming with new life and hope. This is the time that a new baby boy, Oskar Schindler, was born into the world.

Oskar Schindler was born in a town called Zwittau, which was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It would later become part of Czechoslovakia.

The Schindlers were a well-known and influential family in the small town. They were well off. Oskars father, Hans, owned a factory that produced farm machinery. There was every reason to think that the futures of both the young boy and the town were bright.

But the world around Oskar Schindler was changing rapidly. By the time he was ten, the countries of Europe had fought a terrible war. Millions of people had died. Whole cities and towns had been destroyed. The Austro-Hungarian Empire, to which Zwittau had belonged for many years, was dismantled. Zwittaus ancient connection to Austria and nearby Germany was cut. The town became part of a new country called Czechoslovakia. Czechoslovakia included many different people in its 50,000 square miles. The region in which Oskar and his family lived was part of Moravia. It also was part of a region called the Sudetenland. Many ethnic Germans lived there. They shared the customs and language of Germany. Oskar, like many children in the Sudetenland, went to a special German school. Oskar had a great deal of fun growing up.

By the time he was a young man, he loved driving nice cars and going to parties. As a teenager, Oskar raced motorcycles against professional drivers. He was an excellent racer. He was also known as a carefree party lover and future businessman.

Outside their house, Oskar Schindler sits in his roadster with his father, Hans. Schindler had a bit of a wild side, which included racing cars as well as motorcycles.

Elsewhere in the world, things had grown dark. By the end of the 1920s, all of Europe was in a depression. Times were very difficult, especially in nearby Germany. People had a hard time finding jobs and food.

It was during this time that the Nazi Party began to gain popularity in Germany. Led by Adolf Hitler, the Nazis appealed to people for many different reasons. Many people believed that the party could end the tough times. The Nazis promised to reform the economy. Other people liked the Nazis because Hitler wanted Germany to be a strong, proud nation again. They were bitter because Germany had lost World War I. The victorious Allies had treated Germany harshly after the war. Also, many Germans liked the Nazis because the party leaders hated Jews. These people blamed Jews for all of Germanys troubles. Some Germans even thought Jews should be removed from Germany.

Use prohibited by Jews signs were common when Oskar was growing up. This sign is now displayed in the Oskar Schindler Factory Museum in Krakow, Poland.

JEWISH PREJUDICE

Jews were persecuted in Europe for centuries. This persecution took many forms. Sometimes they were made to live in certain areas.

Sometimes they were prevented from holding important jobs. Sometimes they were driven out of their homes. And sometimes they were murdered.

Historians still debate exactly why anti-Semitism became so popular in Germany and the rest of Europe during the time Oskar was growing up. But there is no doubt that it was very widespread. Non-Jews took it for granted. One historian writes that anti-Semitism was considered common sense at the time.

The caricatures of Jews were not very logical or consistent. On the one hand, they were considered dirty and not quite human. On the other hand, many people thought Jews were very rich and wanted to destroy the countries in which they lived. These were absurd, but dangerous, stereotypes that had nothing to do with reality.