Two questions aobut Schindler's list - also posted in 'film'

firstly, I've posted in film but might get a historical response as well as from film fans so leave it here as well please.; more people will see it as well.

Could anybody please answer these for me?

Firstly, when we first see Amon Goeth and he executes the archtiect/engineer woman who stands up for herself, she says 'that won't be enough' right before he kills her; does she mean one death won't silence them, or one bullet can't kill her spirit, or something else?

Secondly, when Schindler's 2nd train got rerouted to Auschwitz, and the woman are stood in the gas chambers looking petrified, and then relieved when the showers come on - why did the showers come on? I thought that upon arrival at Auschwitz, they chose the fit to go to the labour camp and sent the others for extermination at Birkenau, yet the film seemed to suggest that all of the women and children went in the showers and were then saved. Is this true? Surely some of those would have gone straight to the chambers for gassing, especially as they were in the gas chamber complex itself (seeing as though the incineration chimney was directly above)?

Could sombody clear that up for me please?

Reply 1

SaccerZD

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Reply 2

randdom

I'm not sure about the first because I saw the film 4 years ago, however the second could be that the people who died didn't always get killed imediately if you think about the number of people that were arriving it might not have been as soon as they arrived.

Reply 3

Paeony

Having just studied this for a university module (yes really lol) I hope I can help a bit ...

I'm not sure about your first question, but I would think you're on the right lines - what the woman probably means is that her death won't be enough to silence the Jews ... I think, anyway.

About the second question, not everyone who went to Auschwitz was killed immediately although those who were 'selected' to die went to the gas chambers soon after their arrival (this initial selection took place as soon as the people left the trains). For the rest, the showers that they were made to take were part of the dehumanising process. Firstly, they had all of their clothes taken from them, then they had all of their body hair removed and were showered as part of an alleged 'decontamination' process. Finally they were given camp uniforms. They went into the shower block as individuals, and came out as simply 'prisoners'.

The women in the film were not sent to the gas chambers - they were sent to the real showers. Admittedly, it was unusual that none of the women were selected for extermination. However, this can probably be explained by the fact that the women from Schindler's factory were all relatively fit and healthy at the time they got sent to Auschwitz. It was Nazi policy to select those who looked as though they could work for hard labour, and so the 'Schindler women' probably survived because of that.

Tbh the film doesn't explain that part very well - it's filmed to look as though the women went into the gas chambers where as in reality they didn't. If you've got the two-disc DVD with the extras then I can really recommend the 'Voices from the List' documentary, which explains the situation of the women far more clearly. I hadn't realised, for example, that the women actually spent three weeks in Auschwitz before Schindler was able to rescue them ... the film makes it seem like they were there just a short time.

Reply 4

SaccerZD

From other thread, me:

That could be right, yeah - off screen he might have phoned ahead.
Regarding the showers though, I'm pretty sure there were actual showers located near to the arrival station; they would be sent left or right by the doctor on charge (one being Mengele), those fit to work would go to Auschwitz 1 and become slave labourers (again), and would often be showered and disinfected to kill lice. The infirm, weak, young and elderly would be sent the other way, to Birkenau, and would be gassed.
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I really didn't think it was three weeks - from the film, it seems like the arrive at night, shower, next morning rollcall, schindler arrives and talks to Hess, they leave - i.e. ~18 hours, not 3 weeks! that's surprised me.

Reply 5

Anth

Not sure about the first, I suppose its open to your interpretation of it. I cant remember when this bit is, but it could be like "we will try and do things our own way," and so (possibly) referencing the Ghetto uprising in Poland where the Jews try to fight back.

For the second, I think it was just for a false sense of security. Isnt it mentioned (on a train) that theres roumers of gas chambers that are "quashed" when they actually have showers?

I tend to watch Schindler's List and The Pianist pretty close together. Both show how one man can make a difference (Schindler in SL and the German commander in Pianist) while showing the horrors of the holocaust but from different views (SL from the Germans, TP from the Jews').

Reply 6

Phonicsdude

Schindler rescues them? You spoilt the ending! No point in me seeing it now.

Reply 7

789654123

well i have a question!

was hitler religous? did he hate jews because they had a different religion?

Reply 8

Akhoza

789654123

well i have a question!

was hitler religous? did he hate jews because they had a different religion?

From what ive heard about the nazis i dont think he was religious there was a quote i met a couple of weeks ago to prove this but ive forgotten it. I think he hated the Jews because Jewish people tended to get the best Jobs since they tended to work hard and have a strong work ethic and there was already alot of anti- semitic bull going around at that time. I personally think that since he only had one ball he had to take his sexual frustation out someother way and therefore started the war but thats just my theory. :biggrin:

Reply 9

*~vicki~*

Isnt there the theory as well that the Doctor who treated Hitler's mother was Jewish, and when she died, he blamed the doctor.

Jews were also banned from many job sectors, and so many resorted to money lending. This led them to become rich which angered many people, when many others were suffering, particularly in Germany.

Reply 10

Akhoza

*~vicki~*

Isnt there the theory as well that the Doctor who treated Hitler's mother was Jewish, and when she died, he blamed the doctor.

I thought he liked the Jewish doctor and he allowed him to escape, hmm im confused :confused:

could anyone shed some light

Reply 11

Anth

I dont know anything about the Jewish doctor, but Hitler (as well as quite a few people in Bavaria/Munich) blamed the loss of WW1 on the Jews so he that would put some blame on them for the economic problems of Weimar (they lost the war and dropped democracy on Germany). Anti-semitism was in the Nazi Party from the start, with it being in the 25 Point Program (1920 or somewhere round then) so it wasnt new for Hitler.

Reply 12

SaccerZD

think it was Hess or Himmler who managed to save his mother's Jewish doctor, despite being indirectly responsible for killing 6,000,000 others.

Hitler blamed the death of his mother on a Jewish doctor I think, and this was one of many reasons he hated them

Reply 13

Ari_ben_ami

I think the answer to your second question is that because they were peg out as Schindler Juede they had actually been bought by Ocko Schindler and there for if the Nazis killed them it would be damagin schindler property i watched an interview with Spielberg when he explained this! I cnat rember what happend to them after they go to the chamber but i think it was used for emotional reponse as well... your just begging that its not gas coming out and voila its not!

And your 1st question Its not enough i think your bang on "its not enought to silence us all" type thing going on there!