Timeline Description: Oskar Schindler was a German business man who saved hundreds of Jews in Poland and Czechoslovakia from certain death at the hands of the Nazis during World War II. By employing the Jews in his enamelware and ammunitions factory, he prevented their transportation to concentration camps where they would have faced extermination.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| April 28, 1908 | Schindler is born. Oskar Schindler is born in Zwittan, Moravia, Austria-Hungary to Sudeten German parents Johann and Franziska. |
| 1924 | Schindler is expelled from technical school. Schindler is expelled from technical school for forging his report card. He does eventually complete his education, but chooses not to attend college. |
| March 6, 1928 | Schindler marries. Schindler marries Emilie Pelzl, the daughter of a prosperous German farmer from Maletein. |
| 1932 | Schindler has an affair(1932-35). Schindler has an affair with school friend Aurelie Schlegel and fathers two children. |
| 1935 | Schindler joins separatist Sudeten German party. Schindler joins the separatist Sudeten German party and becomes a spy for the Abwehr, the intelligence service of Nazi German in 1936. |
| July 18, 1938 | Schindler is arrested. Schindler is arrest by the Czech government for espionage and immediately imprisoned. He is released shortly after, however, under the terms of the Munich Agreement. |
| November 1, 1938 | Schindler applies for membership in Nazi party. Schindler formally applies for membership in the Nazi party and is accepted the following year. |
| January 1939 | Schindler is promoted to second-in-command. Schindler is promoted to second-in-command of his Abwehr unit and relocates with his wife to Ostrava on the Czech-Polish border. |
| October 1939 | Schindler arrives in Krakow. Schindler arrives in Krakow in Abwehr business. Emilie stays in Ostrava. |
| November 13, 1939 | Schindler leases Rekord Ltd. Schindler leases Rekord Ltd, an enamelware factory originally owned by several Jewish businessmen who were forced to sell after filing bankruptcy. Schindler renames the factory Deutsche Emaillewaren-Fabrik (German Enamelware Factory), also known as DEF. The nickname for the company is "Emalia." |
| 1943 | Schindler travels to Budapest. Schindler travels to Zionist leaders in Budapest on several occasions to testify about the Nazi mistreatment of the Jews. |
| July 1944 | Schindler compiles his famous list. Schindler compiles a list of 1200 Jews that he then protects from the hands of the Nazis. By bribing Nazi officials, Schindler garners the release of any Jews on his list if they are caught. None of the Jews on the list are sent to concentrations camps or otherwise killef. |
| 1945 | Schindler tried for war crimes. After the war, Schindler is tried for war crimes due to his position as a member of the Nazi party. He is released, however, after several Jews testify on his behalf. |
| 1949 | Schindler immigrates to Argentina. Schindler immigrates to Argentina, where he tries his hand at various businesses = all of which result in bankruptcy. He returns to Germany. Despite his best efforts, all of his German business ventures also result in bankruptcy. |
| October 9, 1974 | Schindler dies. Schindler dies and is buried in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. He is the only member of the Nazi party to be honored in this way. |