Schindler's List — Movie Quotes

Stern says this to Schindler as they are compiling the list of Jews to be saved and transferred to the new factory in Brünnlitz. It is a moment of profound realization of the significance of their actions.

This quote encapsulates the central theme of the film. In a world of moral ambiguity and immense evil, the list created by Schindler and Stern represents a singular, undeniable act of goodness. It draws a clear line between life and death, hope and despair. The "gulf" refers to the abyss of the Holocaust that surrounds the small island of salvation they have created.

Schindler is having a conversation with a drunk Amon Goeth, who has been randomly shooting prisoners from his balcony. Schindler tries to manipulate Goeth by suggesting that pardoning people is a greater display of power than killing them.

Schindler says this to Amon Goeth in an attempt to appeal to his ego and curb his murderous impulses. It is a profound philosophical statement about the nature of true power, defining it not as the ability to inflict violence but as the strength to show mercy and restraint. It represents a key moment in Schindler's own moral development as he begins to actively try to influence the world around him for the better.

At the end of the war, as Schindler prepares to flee, the Jewish workers he saved present him with a gold ring they made. Stern presents the ring, explaining the meaning of the Hebrew inscription.

This quote, inscribed on the ring given to Schindler by the workers he saved, is the film's ultimate message. It signifies the immense value of every individual human life and suggests that the act of saving even one person has a ripple effect that touches all of humanity. It honors Schindler's actions and provides a powerful, hopeful conclusion to a story of immense tragedy.