Sa magandang lalawigan ng Camiguin, minsang nagsilbing elementary teacher si Ginoong Ildefonse**. Katulad ng ibang guro, may mga pagkakataon na tumatawag siya ng pupil sa kanyang silid para ipagawa ang ilang bagay-bagay. Isang araw ng Agosto, inutusan umano ni Ildefonse si AAA** na pumunta sa kanyang silid. Nang makapasok siya sa kwarto, ayon kay AAA, may kinuhang folder si Sir at inilapag ito sa mesa. Pinalapit daw siya ng guro at ng lumapit nga siya ay bigla raw hinawakan ni Sir ang kamay niya, pati na rin ang kanyang dibdib at #$%^&* ito …(oops! censored). Ginawa daw ‘yon ni Sir ng limang beses. Kinasuhan si teacher ng Misconduct ni CSC Regional Director VM, Jr. Samantala, dumipensa si Sir Ildefonse: xxx ”the touching incident happened by accident, just as he was handing AAA a lesson book. He further stated that the incident happened in about two or three seconds, and that the girl left his office without any complaint.” Ayon sa CSC Regional Director, guilty si Sir sa kasong Grave Misconduct dahil ang ginawa daw niya ay violation ng Anti-Sexual Harassment Act. Dahil dito, sinipa siya sa trabaho. Matapos ibasura ng CSC ang Motion for Reconsideration niya, dumulog si Sir sa Court of Appeals. Sa CA, lagpak din ang mga argumentong inihain niya. Bilang huling alas, umapela siya sa Supreme Court at doon buong galang niyang sinabi na hindi raw siya maaaring maparusahan dahil ang charge sa kanya ay Misconduct lamang at hindi Sexual Harassment at Grave Misconduct. Ipinunto niya na kailanman ay hindi maaaring masakop ng mas magaang kaso ang mas mabigat na kaso. Believable kaya sa Korte Suprema ang punto ni Sir Ildefonse? HINDI! “It is clear that petitioner was sufficiently informed of the basis of the charge against him, which was his act of improperly touching one of his students. Thus informed, he defended himself from such charge. The failure to designate the offense specifically and with precision is of no moment in this administrative case.” *hango sa kasong Bacsin v. Wahiman **hindi tunay na pangalan

Selling

Selling is a ball game. You’ve got to have that oozing guts and overwhelming spirit to win and clinch a selling game trophy. Like a basketball player who displays tolerance to his hot-headed coach, a seller needs dedication and great tolerance to please even the grumpiest of all customers.

In addition, a seller like a player needs to dribble fast to side-step competitors in the marketplace. A seller who can’t cross-over and fade-away when needed or forgets to do so when his instincts already tells him gets left behind. He is the typical player who after a game will never even know which player from the other team did the pick and roll to inch opponent team to overtime.

But in this dog-eat-dog selling game, a seller is really not alone. In the first place, it is never his game but their game. In selling, it is usually not the I that is most important but the we. Unfortunately, this idea of team game in selling is often neglected by amateurs and professionals alike. This is the case of hundreds of sellers and companies around the globe. Research even suggests that this highly egoistic, eccentric seller attitude is one of notorious causes why we have sellers who go on perpetual holidays instead of temporary.


Selling is and will always be a team game. You need to pass the ball sometime and let the other guy take the shot. Anyway, the point he earns is not his point alone but your team’s. If most sellers realize this simple idea, perpetual holidays wouldn’t be a case to reckon with anymore.

And the ESIHAS Goes To...

My experience as short film writer and director is something I will really treasure. This is one of those great opportunities that provided me with fertile ground to hone whatever I have and train myself further in dealing with all sorts of pressure. While filming Siklab and Ikaw Lamang, I had to be five personas inside a mortal body— director, father, husband, teacher, and law student—with one formidable enemy, Time. Because Time as a foe is such a strong one, I never had the chance to prepare myself in the task of directing or filmmaking before I plunged into it. I just dove and swam and I was just lucky to have friends who, like me, were unmindful of whether or not what we were doing then was plain greatness or sheer stupidity. So, what I will tell you are things which are really personal to me. These are three simple realizations that I hope will help you prick your own balloon of unique ideas.

First, I learned that taking lightly the portrayal of even the most minor character is potentially damaging to the film as whole. An improperly captured scene is distracting but there is nothing more distracting than poor acting. For this reason, I made it a point that our next film was portrayed in much better way than our first. I learned that ‘hiding’ an actor’s/actress’ weakness by lessening his/her exposure is not always “the” solution, the “true” solution. This time my approach was different. I looked for ways to bring out the gem inside them. It’s an about-face move on my part. If previously my opinion was that “we have to finish this no matter what”; this time, my view was this—“let’s be better this time, no matter what”. Deep inside me, if the Team won’t be able to offer something better by performing better, might as well “throw in the towel”. I literally raised the bar a couple of notches higher for all of us. And when Ikaw Lamang was hailed as Best Film for 2009, I was particularly overjoyed and really glad that I changed my approach.

Second, this year’s competition even increased my conviction that I should never let go of my “Never-Say-Die... Go-For-The-Kill” attitude… Contrary to common notion, we actually worked under tight budget. I mean really tight budget. There were many instances that we had to shell out money from our own pockets. And as of this writing, and embarrassing as it is, we have not yet paid the Team’s incurred debts. Neither did we have our own equipment. All we had was oozing courage. What’s worse was that the team’s videos (mostly major scenes) for several days got corrupted. With this fact as background, it was a miracle that we even reached No. 6 after the first evaluation. I really thought it was goodbye red carpet for all of us. Then, with several days left to revise, we resolved to wage the fight to even greater heights and with greater spirit. It’s not over ‘til it’s over—that was my considered view. And so with borrowed funds and borrowed equipment, we ventured to make drastic changes and maximize the use of things we had. It was a virtual race with Time. But while working, I really felt that I could still make a difference by tightening my grip and focusing on an aspect in which we had better leverage—acting. Thus, I went for the kill and the rest, as they say, was history.

Finally, I learned that it was not wise for me to pattern my film after commercial ones. A 30-minute film calls for a different kind of exposition. In this film you only have a quarter of two hours to tell the whole story with all its twists and turns. I began to learn that characterization must be made in such a skillful manner so that a character’s depth will not be too much compromised. You can’t waste even a second. You can’t delve into the trivial. I realized that every element in a 30-minute film must be material. The complexity of the plot must in turn be reconsidered. The plot must be reconciled with the rest of barriers. It must be one that coincides with the very limitations of a short film and not one that presents many entanglements that the film is left at the mercy of this fact. I thought that if I would infuse too much intrigue, complicity and complexity in the plot I would end up sacrificing what our film should achieve in the first place—approximate the richness and depth of human character and experiences. Indeed, a 30-minute short film must be simple enough that it cuts like blade.

In parting, I would like to thank the organizers of ESIHAS for this great opportunity, the jurors for appreciating my humble crafts and the students, faculty and staff of Nueva Ecija High School for willingly taking part in my short film ventures. It is indeed an honor working with you.

Due Process

Of all the rights guaranteed by the 1987 Constitution, the right to due process is one of the most significant. It is in fact our foremost safeguard against any invalid act that curtails our right to life, liberty and property. Thus, the fundamental law declares: No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, and property without due process of law...".

Contrary to common notion, the right to due process is not only inherent in judicial proceedings but in administrative proceedings, as well. An employee can only be removed for just cause. This "just cause" must be proved by clear, convincing evidence before a tribunal, a tribunal that is impartial. The process must not however end there; the tribunal must hear the defending party, with or without the service of counsel. In addition, when the defending party presents controverting evidence the tribunal must consider such evidence presented; otherwise, the process is incomplete, therefore undue or invalid. After both parties have been accorded their respective day in court, the tribunal renders judgment based only on the matters proved and evidences duly submitted. In sum, this is the essence of due process--hear, after wards, condemn if warranted.

Due process as a principle is inherent in any civilized and moral society. This is because due process is based on fairness and equity, which are foundations of any God-fearing community. There is thus no point in making due process limited to legal and administrative proceedings; it must be sacredly observed even in our day-to-day dealings.A father, before he employs the harshness of the rod, must hear his child first; otherwise, the lesson he wants to impose is likewise lost by such denial. More so with persons who are privileged to hold high offices. With more reason that they should act with caution. They must be responsible in whatever words they utter and whatever judgment they make. A false belief, which is held as "the" truth by the official becomes "the" truth that almost everybody believes in. If the official opines that a group is "bad" and all "rotten eggs", the people who hears the opinion will be more inclined to hold that the opinion is true. As people differ in understanding situations, there will be those who will believe that the opinion is flawless whether or not it has basis. And when this happens, we perpetrate injustice. We perpetrate an act of depriving some faultless individuals with their right to a clean name. And there is nothing more regretful than that....

Noone Can Put Me Down But Myself

I believe that nothing is impossible... The only barrier that separates ME and SUCCESS is my will to succeed. Noone and nothing can ever hold me back from what I aspire to achieve. They will only succeed in doing so if I allow them to pull me down. I am the lone creation who is near perfect. God Himself has designed me that way...a unique and supreme creature of this earth.

I believe that nothing is impossible...because IMPOSSIBLE is but an entry in the dictionary. As for me, the word "impossible" doesn't exist in my vocabulary so why make it a part of my life? I am as powerful as my thoughts and as weak as my imagination.

I can...only if I make up my mind that I CAN. So long as I allow myself to be a prisoner of my self-made prison cells, so long as I allow myself to be manipulated by Fate... and so long as I consent to the whims and caprice of manipulators...I CAN'T.

As long as the sun shines and the moon lingers up in the night sky, I have all the chance in the world to be the person I want to be. But, this golden opportunity, this belief that I am a unique creation will just turn to cinders unless I find my purpose and decide to be committed to it no matter what.

Indeed, noone can hold me back but myself.

Hay Naku

Hay..para akong nauupos na kandila pag naiisip ko na malapit na kong sukatin sa susunod na Setyembre. Nakaka excite, nakakakaba, nakakatakot...grabeng mixed emotions talaga. Sabi ng iba mahaba pa naman daw ang panahon, roughly 11 months pa, pero sabi ko "hindi nila alam ang sinasabi nila". Sa nakasubok na...11 months is in fact almost no time to prepare na. Sa 11 months, halos reviewers nalang ang mababasa mo. Ito ang realidad sa nalalapit na pagharap ko sa eksamen sa La Salle-Taft. Bilang guro sa umaga at estudyante sa gabi, mula simula (at palagay ko ) hanggang sa huli, tanggap ko ang katotohanan na mas marami sigurong nabasa kaysa akin ang mga full-time. Siguro mas matibay nga ang pundasyon nila. Siguro mas handa nga sila. Pero, malakas pa rin ang loob ko...i'll fight it out until the last drop of my strength....bahala na si Bro sa akin.

Free Darfur

While the principles of sovereign equality and self-determination are important concerns, it is also an accepted and time-honored principle of international law that international agreements like the International Criminal Court (ICC) Rome Statute must be upheld and used decisively to protect Humanity. The President of Sudan and his confederates should face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the International Criminal Court. Submitting them to the power of the ICC can never be construed as an invasion of their country's sovereignty as it is admittedly an exception to the rule that "sovereignty is absolute".

The possibility of reprisals from the perpetrators and their allies is but natural. Whenever acts of those in 'power' are challenged on grounds, valid or otherwise, it is foolish to expect that such challenge will be accepted with open arms and firm handshakes.

With 400,000 death toll and 2.5 million Darfuri refugees, the violence in Darfur is beyond the grasp of logic and reason—a case beyond justification, indeed. An intervention from the international community has long become ripe. Let us act now lest we become part of the perpetration of this evil.

o

The Five-Fold Path to Superb Leadership

This article may seem absurd to many, weird to some and perhaps reasonable to just one. But who else has a better reason to tell “school leaders” how efficient and effective their work could become than someone who belongs to the lowest hierarchy of the kingdom of an organization? He who gets affected most has the better reason to suggest. Thus, I lay down my version of the five-fold path to superb leadership.

1. We must become the change we want to see. - Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

First and foremost, a leader should walk his talk. If he wants to change the people he leads and make a significant difference in the workplace he must be the first one to undergo cleansing and renewal. Nothing is more absurd than an ‘unclean’ leader who preaches morality and uprightness. But worst is the one who punishes subordinates for wrong acts that he himself has committed. The bottom line is... change to see change.

2. Ah well! I am their leader; I really ought to follow them! - Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin (1807-1874)

Following people you lead is the ultimate paradox of leadership. As it is the sum total of all the contradictions of leadership, it is understandably the hardest to follow and consequently the easiest to break. Essentially, this has something to do with listening to people and treating them as human beings and not robots. Ah, but the term 'listening’ itself is often misunderstood and commonly neglected, intentionally or not. Listening to people is ‘really’ listening to them. Not just to please them and make them feel you’re not despotic; but ‘really’ listening to their needs, opinions and feelings. But then again there’s another problem with the term ‘really’ as many people willfully interchange it with the term ‘pretentiously’ and pretend they really listen.

3. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Theresa (1910-1997)

I won’t delve so much on this issue but all I have to say is this—almost always, cases decided by the Supreme Court in relation to a superior and a subordinate involved verbal and other forms of abuse. If you want to make yourself part of the ‘prestigious’ list… Go ahead. I’m not holding you back!

4. Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)

This reminds me of The Lord of the Ring. Remember how Frodo tried his best to resist the temptation of the ring but in many times failed as the power of the ring was so much a force for him. Had it not for Smeagle, the beast and the ‘accidental hero’, the worlds of mortals and immortals would have been in the greedy clutches of Dark Lord Sauron. This literature by JRR Tolkien depicts the true-to-life saga of school heads and other leaders. The burden of the task of leading is truly heavy and it will determine the substance of a leader’s character—whether he will become a dreadful ‘power-tripper’ or a prudent guide. The choice is always his or her to make.

5. The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. . . . - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

Effective leadership for the most part is the power to inspire. Good leadership transcends the boundaries of physical presence. A good leader is someone who is capable of planting good seeds in the heart of followers. Good seeds that grow even without the extraneous pressures. Effective leadership brings out miracles and enables an organization to achieve things beyond the ordinary. I have yet to meet someone like this. Honestly.

Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija (The First Cry of Nueva Ecija)

The tyrannical and oppressive reign of the Crown of Spain had undoubtedly caused bitter tears and bloodshed to the Filipino people. The long history of Spanish rule was indeed marked by abuse and discrimination of sorts that many Filipinos tried to escape such wrath. Most significant of which was the Kataas-taasang, Kagalang-galang na Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK). Founded by Gat. Andres Bonifacio, the Katipunan envisioned to overthrow, by use of arms, the rule of the Spaniards over Philippine soil. The high-spirited call to overcome the colonial power eventually reached Nueva Ecija. And the Novo Ecijanos bravely heeded to the cause. For two nights initial recruitment for the Katipunan took place in Gapan and Mambangnan, San Leonardo. The first was held at the residence of the then Teniente Mayor of Gapan Pantaleon Valmonte; while, the second occurred at the house of Crispulo Sandico. It was truly not difficult for the people of Nueva Ecija to act subversively against the oppressors and to sympathize with the noble calling of the secret organization. Among the first Novo Ecijanos to join the Katipunan were Mamerto Natividad, Marcos Ventuz, Epifanio Ramos, Domingo Cecilio, and Mariano Llanera who in the middle part of the Katipunan struggle would serve as general of the revolutionary government.
However, the secret organization was unmasked prematurely because of the irresponsibility of Teodoro Patinio who confessed the existence of the Katipunan to his sister and a nun. The two women urged Patinio to disclose the same to a priest. Sure enough he did it. Father Mariano Gil of Tondo upon knowing the impending threat to the frailocracy and the government immediately reported what he learned to the Spanish high authorities. And acting on the information, the governor general ordered the civil guards to search premises and arrest suspected members of the Katipunan. By ill-fate the ledger that contained all the names of Katipuneros fell in the hands of the government.
Gat. Andres Bonifacio and his men, though still unprepared, on August 26, 1896 declared war against Spanish rule. The First Cry of Pugadlawin was the beginning of the open hostilities between the colonizers and the Katipunan freedom fighters. And on August 29, 1896, the Bonifacio-led Katipunan seized the Spanish arsenal at San Juan del Monte. Many more battles took place.
Hoping to contain the insurrection, Governor-General Blanco in turn placed the country under Martial Law. The arrest of suspected members of the revolution further increased in number. Bloodshed became inevitable.
The atrocities spread fast. The inherent violence of military rule was never made exclusive in the capital for it likewise reached nearby provinces. In Nueva Ecija, the same fate occurred to Katipuneros. On August 31, upon the order of Colonel Val, Captain Machorro, the head of the civil guards in the capital of the province, forcibly arrested and detained Mamerto Natividad and Marcos Ventuz. The following day, September 1, Captain Machorro proceeded to Gapan also to arrest Teniente Mayor Valmonte. Being close friends, Valmonte was able to convince the civil guard captain that he would voluntarily go with him the next day. Because of this, Valmonte was able to tell Llanera of the impending plans of the civil guards. And on that very day, realizing the urgency of the situation, they conceived a plan which later on would be laid down in the pages of history as one of the significant events in the revolutionary period.
On the night of the same day, assisted by able men, Marcelo Payumo, Samuel dela Merced, Alipio Tecson, Juan Horquiza, Andres Romero and Rogino Ortiz Luis, Llanera scouted in search of men who were then members and non-members of the Katipunan. Making the most of what they have, the Llanera group planned to seize the provincial capitol and free their arrested comrades with the employment of a diversionary tactic---
The Katipuneros acted as they planned. They disguised their true intent by employing the Musikong Bumbong of Cabiao and informed the communities that they would be heading towards the Capitol not for some other reasons but to pray for the release of their fellow comrades.
September 2, 1896, Tuesday, around 11 am in Cabiao, the Katipuneros were lined-up and ready to face whatever might be the consequences of their acts. Llanera mounted on his horse and the Musikong Bumbong played eagerly as their hearts longed for the reckoning hour. From Sityo Pulo, the band played on. As it passed the old church, its bell tolled--- a sure message that the reign of greed would have to face the wrath of the oppressed Novo Ecijanos.
The Katipuneros then reached San Isidro. Surprised as he was, Governor Val ordered his men to inquire of what the commotion was about. Doubting as to Llanera’s true intent, he instructed Captain Machorro to prepare the guards for an armed confrontation.
Three in the afternoon, Llanera and his men approached the Capitol. Captain Machorro, Sgt. Moreno,and six civil guards warned the incoming Katipuneros to stop. Realizing the true resolve of the Katipuneros, the civil guards fired at them…. Violence ensued… The Llanera-led group attacked at the enemy, face-to-face; while the Valmonte-led Katipuneros fought from the rear.
For three days, the battle that would later on be dubbed as the First Cry of Nueva Ecija claimed many lives from both ranks. And out of Providence and sheer determination, the Novo Ecijanos gradually crushed the enemy defenses. The Spanish fortress, the symbol of its enthronement for hundreds of years, was decisively demolished by the brave heart and insurmountable courage of the Novo Ecijanos. For the first time, the oppressed was feared by no less than the oppressor….
Such was the reason why we are here this very day; to commemorate the show of courage and bravery of our ancestors and to remind us that despite the seemingly unsinkable odds, the spirit of the TRUE NOVO ECIJANOS PREVAILED. The Novo Ecijano, needless to emphasize, has a unique legacy on its own. Look yonder and behold the flag….indeed I fervently pray that such ray that stands for our Blood’s bravery shall not be lost in all of us and that every ounce of blood that Llanera, Valmonte and the rest of the Katipuneros sacrificed would not be put in vain. Such is my prayer. Such is what I also ask from you….

The Man Named Oskar Schindler

Would you be willing to give up money, fame and influence to be able to save others? This was a question Oskar Schindler answered with a resounding “yes” during one of the darkest chapters of our history.
Oskar Schindler was a son of Hans Schindler and Franziska Luser. He was born on April 28, 1908 in Svitavy or German Zwiattau in Moravia, Czech Republic. Given the wit on business venture, he worked after class as commercial salesman. Later on, he married Emilie Pelzl on March 6, 1928. It was a childless marriage.
Sometime in 1930’s, he began to have several jobs. In 1935, he became a member of separatist block of the Sudeten German Party. In Abwehr, he began his work as a military intelligence agent for the Germans. Also, he joined Nazi Party in 1939. Nazi documents pointed out that Oskar continued working for the Abwehr which led to German attack launched against Poland.
One of the great men during the Holocaust was Oskar Schindler. He saved almost 1, 200 Jews during this tragic event in world history. He made the Jews work in his enamelware and ammunitions factories located in what is now Poland and Czech Republic. This he did to save their lives.
Because of his exceptional deeds during the war, he was recognized through the book entitled “Schindler’s Ark” in which he was the subject. Later in 1993, a film was made based on this book, “Schindler’s List”.

Holocaust: The Rise of Hitler Adolf Hitler, a German politician, established a dictatorship, which was commonly characterized as fascist or totalitarian government. He made himself powerful through public exposure and persuasive speeches. He pursued aggressive policy after taking control of the Lebensraum. Hitler caused the triumphant military conquest of Poland in 1939.
During this period, Schindler gained business advantage from the German Invasion of Poland. Through influence, he managed to own an industrial factory in Krakow from Nathan Wurzel who was a Jewish industrialist then.
Oskar changed the name of the factory to Deutsche Emaillewaren-Fabrik, or DEF as advised by Wurzel. This factory manufactured enamelware. His laborers were reached more or less a thousand Jews. The Jewish Itzhak Stern, who was Oskar’s accountant, helped him to get hold of his Jewish slave laborers.
As a businessman who acted favorably for money, he hid wealthy Jewish investors for a consideration during the crisis. Later, however, he started protecting his workers from brink of death. Shortly after 1939, Hitler and his forces began murdering people whom he believed to be as inferior to the Aryan race. Thousands of Poles were killed. City ghettoes were built for Jewish Poles. Thousands of them were likewise killed and starved to death. And thousands of innocent people followed the same fate.
In the late July 1941, Hitler decided to extend the systematic killing of Jews to all German-occupied Europe. It was observed by the Nazis, however, that killing people became traumatic to the German police officers and soldiers. Thus, the Nazi- Germans built death camps in Poland where Jews and other prisoners from all over Europe were brought in. From there, transported prisoners were killed easily in less stressful manner. Through the large gas chamber built in the camps, the slaughter of the prisoners was effortless and impersonal for they were killed by the poison gas. This mass killing of Jews and prisoners was known as the Holocaust. Approximately one-third of the 18 million Jews were killed without mercy during the Holocaust.

Schindler’s Concern When Schindler witnessed the 1942 raid in the Krakow ghetto, he felt an inner drive to do what he must do. As soldiers shipped inhabitants to the concentration camps at Plaszow, he made his best effort to protect his workers. This he did even it meant putting danger into his own life.
As reported, Schindler began to transport young Jews out of the Nazi-established ghetto at his expense. He brought the youngsters to Polish nuns and were claimed to be Christian orphans so that they might be spared from the clutches of the Nazi forces. He likewise made arrangement with Amon Goth, military head of Plaszow, to cause the transferring 700 Jews to a nearby factory compound which spared them from the ravages of the German police. In all of these efforts, he had to bribe officials to insure impunity and success.
Furthermore, Oskar every effort to convince SS-officials to permit him to transfer his industry’s 1, 100 workers, later on referred as Schindler Jews, to Brnenec (German: Brünnlitz), Czechoslovakia to save them from mass extermination.
In Brnenec, he obtained another factory. There, he tried producing ammunitions but was unsuccessful. This, however, did not actually matter as the effort was mere front to his primary intention.

After the War: The Fall of Hitler A series of losses to the Allies and failure to defeat the Soviets had left Hitler’s armies severely weakened. Hitler made more defenses against Americans as he launched his last reserves west into the Ardennes country of Belgium and Luxembourg in the Battle of the Bulge 9 December 1944 to January 1945. Until he realized that neither of his hopes would work, he appointed Karl Donitz, the head of the navy and a devoted Nazi, as his successor. Then Hitler finally committed suicide with his wife, Eva Braun in Berlin on April 30, 1945.
After the fall of Hitler and majority of the Nazi forces, Schindler freed his workers.
While at the mercy of bankruptcy, he did not accept any assistance from the Jewish organizations. He went to Argentina sometime in 1948. In 1958, Oskar returned to Germany and tried to establish businesses but all proved as great failures. Schindler moved to live with his friends in Hildesheim, Germany in 1971. Due to heart ailment, he was brought to the Sankt Bernward Hospital in Hildesheim on September 12, 1974. He died on October 9 at the age of 66. He was buried at the Catholic cemetery, Mount Zion, Jerusalem.

His Legacy
Schindler was the only former member of the Nazi Party who was recognized for his great deeds of risking his life to save Jews during darkest days of Nazi rule. In honor of him, he was recognized as the Righteous among Nations.
Poldek Pfefferberg, a Holocaust survivor, retold Schindler’s story in the form of novel, Schindler’s Ark which was later renamed as Schindler’s List, written by Thomas Keneally. Steven Spielberg came out with the movie, Schindler’s List in 1993. The film won the Best Picture in the Academy Awards. The film gave prominence to Schindler who was generally perceived as a good man. The film depicted Schindler as a man who was amoral, at times opportunistic, but at best with a heart for Jews.
During the autumn of 1999, a suitcase belonging to Schindler was found by his friends. It contained thousands of photographs and documents including his farewell speech when the Schindler’s Jews were set free and the now famous Schindler’s List. This was reported in Sttuttgarter Zeitung newspaper. These documents were placed at Israel’s Holocaust Museum of Yad Vashem.
Oskar Schindler is perhaps one of the best examples of lives changed by the harshness and mercilessness of war. His life exemplifies that in times of darkness mankind can rely on the heart of kind men and women who are willing sacrifice everything for the good of all.

Study Guide1. Who is Oskar Schindler? Discuss the impact of his decision which relates to risking his life to save the Jews.
2. Make a timeline of the significant events during this period in Schindler’s life.
3. What could have led Oskar to do what he did?
4. Did he ask for anything in exchange of what he did for the Jews?
5. Would you consider him a good role model? Why?
6. If you were Oskar would you do the same thing? Why?
7. Relate Oskar’s life to a saying or proverb you know and make a brief discussion about how they are related.