Introduction
Schindler’s List is a film centered on the historical injustices committed against German Jews. The perpetrators were Nazi soldiers whose aim was to eradicate the Jewish race in Germany through mechanisms such as indiscriminate shooting, exterminations and gassing of innocent Jews. Trains were used to transport large numbers of Jews to military camps, who would then be distributed to labor camps while the physically weak were killed. The film, therefore, depicts the image of how political situations could damage social stability and cause major atrocities against innocent people. The film relies on symbols in the form of characters and objects while showing the extent to which an individual ‘Schindler’ could be involved in saving the lives of people subjected to mass suffering. The film offers guidance on how future films can rely on historical aspects in explaining the events that took place and the lessons to be learnt from historical events. Films provide the best opportunity for future generations to learn from events that took place in the past and implement ways through which individuals can create sustainable societies.
Schindler’s List and its Reflection on the Social and Political Context
The Schindler’s List depicts the atrocities that were committed during the Second World War. The Jews faced extreme oppression during the Nazi regime with Schindler feeling there lacked humanitarian attitude. The film shows the image of the suffering Jews and the compassion felt by Schindler to protect the thousands of slaves who were being subjected to harsh treatment from the political elites of the time. Through his power, Schindler was able to convince the authorities of the necessity to construct a factory for employees to be interned.
However, the objective of Schindler was different from the expectations of the authorities since he was of the idea that he could save thousands from slavery by making them work at his factory instead of the military camps. Even after closure of the camp, Schindler arranged for workers at the factory to be transferred to a new facility. The film, therefore, paints the picture of a hero who strives as hard as he could going to the extent of losing his fortunes to save the lives of thousands of slaves at the military camps. As a result of the humanitarian nature of Schindler, he was able to save people from facing the wrath of the commanders at the camps thereby making them escape from the darkest events at the camps.
The Jews at the camps were paid nothing in return for their work with the amounts paid to the rich personnel in the military. However, while working at the factory, workers would be allowed a bit of freedom such that they would avoid being transported to the concentration camps or being killed by Nazi guards. Labor camps in the movie are depicted as oppressive settings where any forms of resistance is met with death. The troops were ordered to shoot anyone who protested, is uncooperative and the elderly who were unable to perform manual works at the labor camps. Schindler witnessed the events and was disturbed by the atrocities committed by the military. With the guilt and the feeling of the need to protect and save the lives of those he could, Schindler used his position and financial capability to bribe the officials so that he could build a sub camp for his workers such the latter would be free from the harsh conditions at the military labor camps. The list addressed in the movie contain a number of inmates whom Schindler felt the need to save them.
Women and children are not excluded from the atrocities as they were subjected to the hard work at the military camps. However, after Schindler secured their release, the thousands saved were able to enjoy privileges including observing the Sabbath with reduced scrutiny from the Nazi guards. Schindler’s List therefore reflects the real picture of the overwhelming evil that was taking place during the Nazi regime and the freedom that everyone yearned for. The film paints the picture of how slaves found hope for survival in the Second World War by escaping from the shootings and forced labor at the military labor camps. The social and political situations at the time meant that the Jewish slaves felt they had no future to look forward to and that the only way they could sustain their generations was by having children while at the camps.
However, the film proves what a single person could do to save thousands of people living in fear for the lives. Even the little kids in the society had learnt ways in which they could openly express their unfriendliness towards those who worked at the military labor camps. This implies that the need to eradicate the Jewish race had infected everyone such that even friends and neighbors could not help the Jews fearing reprisal from the Nazi authorities. The fact that friends and neighbors could not help implies that even those who could have saved the Jews from capture and subjection to harsh treatment were unable to save them hence leaving them with no option but face the ruthless treatment at the hands of the military. Schindler List shows the discrimination that was in the Second World War such that European Jews could be forced from their ghettos to the labor camps by the Nazi forces. Events such as cremation of the dead bodies and gassing women to death at the military camps like Auschwitz proved the injustices committed at the time.
At some point, these who had not been exposed to such incidences and were unaware of the true situation at the camps denied the claim of women being gassed. However, the injustices of the time still created some sense among those who failed to believe the killing of women at the camps considering the fact that they had faced mass extermination while in the hands of the Nazi forces. Death and fear seemed to be part of the lives of the Jews with images of deaths dominating the film especially through indiscriminate shooting of innocent masses. The movie uses symbols in the form of objects, figures and characters to create a real picture of what was going on at the military camps. A case of a girl wearing red coat which symbolizes the horror the Jews were facing at the time and the red flag that the Jews had waved while crying for help from their allies. The death of the girl is also symbolic as it proves the fact that even the innocent could not be spared by the atrocities committed by the Nazi men. The personal belonging of the slaves were also seized from them including photographs, clothing, shoes and jewelry with the military keen to take the valuable possession and use them for their own financial and personal gain.
Aesthetic Innovations in Schindler’s List
Schindler’s List employs aesthetic and technical aspects that help the movie present the real situation of what happened during the Second World War. Themes are explained by symbolic components that in turn enable viewers to develop insight of all that happened at the time and the pain the Jews were subjected to by the Nazi military. The list itself demonstrates the sorting procedure that was undertaken by the military to determine those who were fit for the task at the camps so that those who were physically unfit could be killed as they were a of no use at the camp.
The unfit would be taken to the exterminations camps awaiting to be gassed since gassing was among the most dominant forms used to kill people. Schindler’s List is therefore seen as one that saved the lives of many who could have bene killed due to their physical inability to perform tasks at the camp. In the end, Schindler was also given a list with signatures of those he had saved such that in case he came across allied soldiers of the Jews, then the signatures in the list would save him. The film therefore shows the power of a list as one that is able to save the lives of people. Trains are also used in the movie to show how the Jews were bundled in the trains in large numbers to the death camps. The congestions in the trains and the sight of the dehydrated Jews made Schindler have the option of water sprinkled with Goeth, the commander insinuating that there was no need to give false hope to the people since death was looming. The trains are used as a way of showing the large number of people who faced death each time a train arrived at the military base.
In spite of the Jews in the trains having a feeling of hope, they were disheartened by the fact that they could still see more trains arriving at the camps such that the cycle of death seems to be unending. Images of death also exist in the film in a way that shows the extent of the atrocities committed at the camps. Images of death are shown by the shooting of people in the head and gassing of women and children. Symbols are also used to enhance the technical aspects in the film including the girl in red coat who represented innocence of the Jewish slaves. The girl witnesses everything at the camp including the exterminations of several people but she becomes a victim as she is killed. According to the film, the little girl in red coat represents the fact that the Nazi men were killing innocent Jews thereby disrupting the social wellbeing among the European Jews.
The road to the labor camps were also paved with headstones removed from the Jewish cemeteries thereby depicting the sign that the place was horrific and that the slaves needed to be prepared for a hard task ahead. The headstones are therefore a historic sign of the destruction of the German Jews that occurred during the Nazi regime. The removal of the headstones was a sign of the fact that the Jewish race was unwanted and that existence need to be wiped out even at the cemeteries. Historically, this implies that the Jews were not worthy people in the eyes of the Nazis and hence there was need to be wiped out even at the cemeteries. Piles of personal items belonging to the Jews are also shown in the movie with the Jews told that their luggage would follow later. However, the move to take personal belonging from the Jews was to allow the Nazi soldiers to search for valuables in the bags in search of gold jewelry. However, the piles of personal items symbolically reflect the millions of Jews who lost their identity after being taken to different labor camps. This implies that the people could no longer be able to associate with their relatives since they were separated with the weak killed while others were taken to different labor camps.
The use of production decision in the movie
Schindler’s List shows the extent of the ruthless nature with which the Nazi men carried out their activities. The ruthless pictures in the film are used to prove the injustices that have been linked with the Nazi regime and the Jewish race as a main target by the regime. The Second World War had witnessed major atrocities committed against the weaker states that led to the capture of nations that had the weakest races. Images of gasification of people, indiscriminate shooting of the Jews and subjecting the Jews to torture at the labor camps paints a historical picture of the events during WW11.
The nature of the production is key to teaching the future generations of the historical events that occurred during the Second World War thereby creating a sense of extent to which the holocaust was detrimental to the existence of people. Schindler’s List is a powerful tool for teaching about the horrors of the events during the Nazi regime and the genocide acts carried out by the Nazis. However, major issues are raised on the fact that the production decision considered the saving of 1200 Jews instead of focusing on the over 6 million that were killed in the Nazi era. However, from the Schindler’s List, it is evident that the film reflects the fact that millions lost their lives during the Nazi era. The film clearly shows the abuse subjected to the Jewish victims where those that were unable to do their jobs properly felt the wrath of the authorities and even the ones who took their jobs seriously were punished. The production decision to use Schindler as a savior is critical in making viewers have the critical thinking on what they would do to save individuals suffering hardships in the society. The case of Schindler depicts the need to value human life.
Most societies in the world todays face similar situations where political oppression continue to cause incidences of death such that the stability in the society is interfered with. Schindler’s List therefore provides an impression of what future films need to be centered on. This implies that there is need to address social injustices by pointing the adverse consequences of the oppressive behavior and the extent to which individuals could move to save the society from destruction. The Nazi regime is shown as a racist movement that could not accommodate the Jews. This implies that future film works need to be focused on the need to address equality in the society while at the same time showing the need to treat everyone better to promote a conducive society.
Schindler’s List suggest for a personality trait for people to stand up against social and political injustices that are destructive for the lives of people. There is need to have the courage to stand up against the system whenever it goes wrong in spite of the consequences. Being a humanitarian champion restores hope in millions of people. Schindler’s List also gives hope and optimism for viewers such that they are able to realize the need to avoid acts that could disrupt peace in the society. Future films need to have the ability to give power to the viewers and instill hope and optimism for a better society. Through reliance on historical aspects, it is possible for films to create situations where viewers compare the situation during the War regimes and then try to come up with ways that promote a stable society.
Conclusion
Schindler’s List depicts a clear picture of how political events can damage social stability and cause killing and suffering of innocent people. The film relies on symbols in form of characters and objects while showing the extent to which an individual can be involved in saving the lives of people. Schindler’s List offers guidance on how future films can rely on historical aspects in explaining the events that took place and the lessons to be learnt from the historical events. Films provide the best opportunity for future generations to learn from the events that took place in the past and implement ways through which they can effectively create a sustainable society in the long run. Schindler is depicted as a hero who, in spite of being a Nazi himself, feels the need for a humanitarian attitude. By witnessing the mass killings and torture of innocent Jews, Schindler uses everything in his possession including all his personal wealth to protect the Jews and liberate many from the wrath of the Nazi guards. This implies that films ought to be focused on relying on historical events to improve social welfare.
References
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Miron, G., Borut, Y., & Elkin, R. (2006). Aspects of Jewish Welfare in Nazi Germany. Jerusalem: Yad Vashem.
Spielberg, S., Neeson, L., & Keneally, T. (2004). Schindler's List. London: Universal.
Tsimerman, M. (2006). On Germans and Jews under the Nazi Regime: Essays by three Generatiosn of Historians . Jerusalem: Hebrew University Press.
Warburg, G. (2010). The Jews under the Nazi Regime. London: Routledge.
