In the next scene we see Schindlers face and body for the first time; he is smart, tidy and clean. The audience now sees Schindler bribing various doormen and waiters and eventually he persuades a table of German generals and their girlfriend to come over and join him. This scene emphasises Schindlers manipulative personality, which later on in the film allows him to save hundreds of Jewish prisoners. This scene is very important as later on in the film we see the change between Schindler now and Schindler then.
The audience now see the Jews being humiliated; we see one Nazi soldier cutting off a Jewish mans curls, while other Nazis stand and laugh. I believe that this scene shows a good contrast between Schindler spending all his money and drinking alcohol, while the Jews are being humiliated and being forced into the Ghetto. The director manipulates the audience into making us believe Schindler is a wealthy businessman, whereas really he is a hero, as we see later on in the film when he saves hundreds of Jews.
Next we see Schindler with his Nazi badge on, pushing past Jews on a stairway to get into the Judenrat (a place to see Jewish councillors to complain about the Nazis). He asks for a man called Itzak Stern, and the whole bustling place falls quiet, and everyone looks at Stern. This scene demonstrates how the Jews fear Schindlers power, as there are hundreds of Jews all shouting; however, everyone becomes silent as soon as one Nazi, Schindler, asks a question.
Schindler takes Stern into an office and they discuss business. When Stern finally agrees to help Schindler he proposes a toast, but Stern refuses, this is later played on during the film because Stern does eventually agree to drink with Schindler when he finally feels he can trust him, whereas now the audience are led to believe Schindler cannot be trusted.
In the film the character Stern is used by Spielberg to show how the Jews were progressively robbed of their belongings, their liberty and their dignity.
