Who Is Oskar Schindler? Age, Biography and Wiki
Oskar Schindler, born on April 28, 1908, in Zwittau, Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic), stands as one of the most significant figures during the Holocaust. A German industrialist and a member of the Nazi Party, he is best known for his efforts to save the lives of over a thousand Jewish refugees by employing them in his factories during World War II. His actions have earned him a place in history as a humanitarian, and he is remembered through various media, including the acclaimed film "Schindler's List."
As of 2025, Oskar Schindler would have turned 117 years old. However, he passed away on October 9, 1974. His legacy continues to inspire discussions about morality, bravery, and the impact of individual actions during times of grave injustice.
| Occupation | Business |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | April 28, 1908 |
| Age | 66 Years |
| Birth Place | Zwittau, Margraviate of Moravia, Austria-Hungary |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
| Country | Austria |
| Date of death | 9 October, 1974 |
| Died Place | Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, West Germany |
Popularity
Oskar Schindler's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While there isn’t much available regarding Oskar Schindler’s physical measurements, historical accounts suggest he was of average height for a male of his era. Specific details about his weight and other body stats remain largely undocumented in public records.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Oskar Schindler was married to Emilie Schindler, and together they played a pivotal role in sheltering Jewish workers during the Holocaust. Their relationship was built on shared humanitarian values. After the war, Emilie Schindler continued to advocate for the remembrance of Oskar’s contributions, and their marriage is often highlighted as a partnership that transcended the confines of their turbulent times.
While there have been no acknowledged romantic relationships apart from Emilie, his commitment to aiding others has left a profound legacy that continues to resonate with people worldwide.
Schindler moved to West Germany after the war, where he was supported financially by Jewish relief organisations. After receiving a partial reimbursement for his wartime expenses, he moved with his wife, Emilie, to Argentina, where they took up farming.
When they went bankrupt in 1958 Schindler left his wife and returned to Germany, where he failed at several business ventures and relied on financial support from Schindlerjuden ("Schindler Jews")—the people whose lives he had saved during the war.
He died on 9 October 1974 in Hildesheim, Germany, and was buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, the only former member of the Nazi Party to be honoured in this way. Oskar and Emilie Schindler were named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1993.
Net Worth and Salary
Determining Oskar Schindler's net worth today can be complex. During his lifetime, he was a successful businessman and owned a factory that produced enamelware, but his financial standing deteriorated after the war. It is estimated that he spent much of his wealth on bribes and food to protect his Jewish workers. Consequently, his net worth was significantly diminished by the time of his death.
In 2025, conversations around Schindler often compare his wealth against the invaluable cost of human life he sheltered, emphasizing the moral over the material.
Career, Business and Investments
Schindler's career revolved around manufacturing; he was initially involved in various ventures, including running a car dealership. His most notable business was the enamelware factory he established in Kraków, Poland, where he employed Jewish workers to save them from deportation to concentration camps.
After the war, Schindler faced significant challenges, including financial hardships exacerbated by his earlier efforts to save lives. Though his business ventures did not flourish post-war, the success of his factory during the Holocaust made an indelible mark, ensuring his memory would be honored throughout history.
Schindler grew up in Zwittau, Moravia, and worked in several trades until he joined the Abwehr, the military intelligence service of Nazi Germany, in 1936. Before the beginning of the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1938, he collected information on railways and troop movements for the German government.
He was arrested for espionage by the Czechoslovak government but was released under the terms of the Munich Agreement that year. He continued to collect information for the Nazis, working in Poland in 1939 before the invasion of Poland at the start of the Second World War. He joined the Nazi Party in 1939.
In 1939 he acquired an enamelware factory in Kraków, Poland, which employed at its peak in 1944 about 1,750 workers, of whom 1,000 were Jews. His Abwehr connections helped him protect his Jewish workers from deportation and death in the Nazi concentration camps.
As time went on, he had to give Nazi officials ever larger bribes and gifts of luxury items obtainable only on the black market to keep his workers safe.
Social Network
Oskar Schindler's life is celebrated today not just through his humanitarian efforts but also in the realm of social consciousness and activism. His story has inspired numerous educational initiatives, films, and literature that advocate for human rights and the remembrance of the Holocaust. Although there weren't social media platforms during his life, current movements honor his legacy and promote awareness using various digital platforms today.
In 1980 the Australian author Thomas Keneally by chance visited Pfefferberg's luggage store in Beverly Hills, California, while en route home from a film festival in Europe, and Pfefferberg told him Schindler's story. He gave Keneally copies of some materials he had on file, and Keneally decided to make a fictionalised treatment of the story.
After extensive research and interviews with surviving Schindlerjuden, he wrote his historical novel Schindler's Ark (published in the United States as Schindler's List), which was released in 1982.
Education
Details regarding Oskar Schindler's formal education remain sparse. He likely had an education typical of his social standing in early 20th-century Europe. Many accounts reflect no elaborate academic achievements, but his intelligence and business acumen were evident in his strategic efforts to navigate the complexities of his time, thus saving countless lives.
After the liquidation of the Płaszów camp, the Schindlerjuden decided to give Schindler a memento. The original investors in the enamel factory canvassed the workers for ideas. Knowing there were several jewelers among their group, a man named Simon Yeret, formerly a prosperous timber merchant, offered a gold bridge from his own mouth.
The bridge was removed and its metal melted with a few scavenged silver coins. A jeweller named Jozef Gross cut a section of lead pipe and created a master signet ring out of which the gold version would be cast. Gross shaved two cuttlebones flat and squeezed the lead master between them until an impression had been pressed into the mould.
This was filled with the gold from Yeret's bridge. Gross then filed and polished the gold ring. He engraved a paraphrase from the Talmud in Hebrew on the ring that said, "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire." Despite his mixed feelings about Schindler's character, Gross kept the cuttlebone mold and lead master for the rest of his life.
They are currently housed at the Melbourne Holocaust Museum. The whereabouts of the actual ring have long been unknown, nor is it clear what Schindler did with it after the war.
