These 18 Facts Reveal the True Story of Schindler’s List

These 18 Facts Reveal the True Story of Schindler’s List

Larry Holzwarth - November 25, 2018

These 18 Facts Reveal the True Story of Schindler’s List
A list of the type of position, number required, and number assigned to be transferred to Brunnlitz, prepared by Mietek Pemper. Wikimedia

10. There were several different lists compiled by Pemper and Goldberg

The number of lists of Jews to be transferred to the new factory location in Brunnlitz varies according to different historians. The fact that Schindler had little to do with their creation is also disputed. At the time of the list’s creation, Schindler was under investigation for black market and bribery activities, and his attention was on clearing himself of crimes against the Reich. At one point during that time, he was incarcerated. At least seven different lists were written and amended, and some historians state that there were at least nine. Four are accounted for in the 21st century, two at Yad Vashem in Israel and one at Washington DC’s Holocaust museum. Another, privately owned, was placed at auction online in 2013, though its owner withdrew the item after failing to obtain the asked price.

Schindler himself told his workers that survived the war that they should not thank him for their lives, but rather they should, “thank your valiant Stern and Pemper, who stared death in the face constantly” (Stern being the accountant, Itzhak Stern). Schindler was only given the information which he, Pemper, felt was necessary. This was because Schindler was under investigation at the time, and Pemper was fearful that Schindler could break under interrogation and give the authorities information which would implicate himself, Goldberg, and Stern. Among the many names, Pemper placed on the final list used to determine who would be transported to Brunnlitz was his own and Goldberg’s, though neither were employed by Schindler at the time, rather both served under Amon Goth, who was by the time of the move under arrest.

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