L. Stallbaumer-Beishline on Where Light and Shadow Meet

Emilie Schindler. Where Light and Shadow Meet: A Memoir. New York and London: W.W. Norton & Company, 1996. xii + 162 pp. $22.00, cloth, ISBN 978-0-393-04123-1. Reviewed by L. M. Stallbaumer-Beishline Published on H-German (August, 1998) "To be Emilie again, simply Emilie," is one of relations with Nazi officials, and their mutual ef‐ Emilie Schindler's goals in writing a memoir forts to save Jews working at DEF as well as at the about her life both with and without Oskar munitions factory at Bruennlitz. Schindler, whose life has been made famous by Emilie tries to correct misinformation from Steven Spielberg's cinematic version of Spielberg's movie, Schindler's List, and to a far Schindler's List. In addition, Emilie seeks to ex‐ lesser extent Thomas Keneally's book by the same plain events as they "actually took place," to de‐ title. Among other things, Emilie claims that Oskar sanctify the heroic image of her husband, not out did not try to take advantage of Jewish slave labor of bitterness but for the sake of "truth." and recalls that they were unaware that people The story begins with Emilie's childhood in bribed their way onto the list. In addition, we Bohemia, an innocence brought to an end with learn that Emilie took a more active role in caring Oskar, whose marriage proposal provided an op‐ for Jews at both DEF in Cracow, but especially at portunity to leave behind a family life which was the munitions factory at Bruennlitz. Emilie lived becoming oppressive. Once married, it did not in constant fear and terror knowing the dangers take long for Emilie to learn her husband's many of aiding Jews, yet she was instrumental in ob‐ faults and attributes. Oskar Schindler was a gen‐ taining the permit to establish the munitions fac‐ erous and kind man, but his many infidelities, his tory. (The quartermaster general responsible for immaturity, and his opportunistic, work-shy, he‐ issuing permits for such undertakings turned out donistic, self-indulgent lifestyle strained their re‐ to be Emilie's childhood swimming teacher.) Emi‐ lationship nearly from the beginning of their mar‐ lie also secured additional food supplies for the riage. Discussing the war years, Emilie gives pri‐ Jewish workers, engaged in black market trading, ority to topics related to Oskar's spying activities and nursed Jews back to health who arrived at for the Abwehr and how it affected her, his acqui‐ Bruennlitz on the verge of death. sition of Deutsche Emailwaren Fabrik (DEF), their H-Net Reviews The end of the war did not bring immediate Schindler, but because of her vast experiences safety for the Schindlers, and in Emilie's account, which she downplays modestly. During her life‐ she displays more savvy and acumen than Oscar, time, Emilie has been part of the German minori‐ who was in a "state of shock" (p. 103). For nearly ty in Czechoslovakia, a German woman living in five years, the Schindlers lived in Regensburg Nazi-occupied Poland, and challenged with re‐ where Oskar resumed his pattern of infidelity and building her life from practically nothing after the neglect. The Schindlers' 1949 move to Argentina most destructive war in the twentieth century. In was Oskar's idea, though Emilie welcomed a short, the subject matter is largely defined by her change of scenery. However, this move ultimately life with Oskar Schindler. Still, the vignettes of led to their permanent separation in the spring of their lives are woven together in an interesting 1957. Oskar, who returned to Germany to collect and revealing manner. reparations for the loss of the Bruennlitz factory, Emilie Schindler's memoir provides a new di‐ virtually abandoned Emilie, leaving her with a f‐ mension to the legend of Schindler's list, and it re‐ nancial debt largely brought on by his own irre‐ minds readers that heroic accolades are problem‐ sponsible business deals. Emilie, who never saw atical at best. After reading Thomas Keneally's her husband again, tells us how deeply hurt she book or viewing Steven Spielberg's movie, we are was by his fnal act of negligence which stands in challenged by Emilie Schindler's memoir to reex‐ sharp contrast to the heroic images which viewers amine our conception of heroes and heroism. Em‐ are left with in the fnal frames of Spielberg's ilie does not deny the important role that she and movie. Several references are made to the movie her husband played in saving Jewish lives, but as in the memoir, in which Emilie's presence is anec‐ she noted, they did what they had to in what dotal and misrepresented. Yet, despite its inaccu‐ proved to be a unique situation. racies, Emilie applauds the "excellent flm" (p. Copyright 1998 by H-net. All rights reserved. 143) which brought attention to her own efforts to This work may be copied for non-profit educa‐ help "Schindler's Jews." tional use proper credit is given to the author and A disappointing feature of Emilie Schindler's the list. For other permission contact H-Net@h- memoir is not how she exposes Oskar Schindler's net.msu.edu. flaws, but her failure to emerge fully out of the shadow cast by the legend surrounding her hus‐ band, and to be "simply Emilie." Most of the thoughts and feelings she reveals in some degree or another are privileged by Oskar Schindler's far- from-noble treatment of her and the legend of the List. So, for example, when Emilie is hospitalized for several months (either in 1941 or 1942), we learn about how Oskar neglected to visit her even once, prompting her to question their entire rela‐ tionship. Yet we gain little additional insight into how this hospitalization affected her. (Compare this image to the flm where Emilie leaves Oskar because of his unwillingness or inability to prom‐ ise her fdelity.) Emilie was clearly a self-reliant, honest, and hard-working women, whose story is significant not solely because she was Mrs. 2 H-Net Reviews If there is additional discussion of this review, you may access it through the network, at https://networks.h-net.org/h-german Citation: L. M. Stallbaumer-Beishline. Review of Schindler, Emilie. Where Light and Shadow Meet: A Memoir. H-German, H-Net Reviews. August, 1998. URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=2267 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 3.

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