For a nearly six centuries they create extraordinary thriving Jewish community with a big religious and academic centre: the Talmudic and Yeshiva schools. It was one of the largest Yiddish culture centres in Poland. By the 17th century cultural Jewish life was flourishing and seven main synagogues were build during this period as the Alte Schul and the Rema Synagogue. Between 1655-57 was a hardship period for the Jewish community because of the Swedish invasion and occupation. In the late 17th century the anti-Jewish riots followed in quick successions. The 18th century was a period of trade battles between the people from Krakow and Jews from Kazmierz. Kazmierz became part of Austrian Empire in years 1772-1776 but Krakow stayed as a part of Poland. During this time Jews who traveled to Krakow had problems to trade there. In 1776, the king allowed to growth Jewish trade rights. Many wealthy Cracow Jews migrate to Warsaw. In 1796 Krakow came under Austrian control and later Kazimierz became a district of Krakow in early 19th century. It started to be a good time for Kazmierz and signal to a slowly redevelopment of the district new roads, houses. By 1833 the Jewish population stood at 10,820. In 1830 Jewish elementary school was opened. The first synagogue for reformed Jews was opened in1844. In 1867 equal citizenship right were given to the Jewish population of the Krakow and Jews had the same rights to trade, work and settle in Krakow. In 1900, Cracow had a Jewish population of 25,670 and it was constantly rising and in 1910 the there was 32,000 and cultural life arose with the them. During the late 19th century the anti-semitism movements and pogroms broke out. The youth Jews were strong enough to protect themselves against the demonstration. Population of Jewish people was still to growing and in 1931 reached 56,800. Krakow became a main place of Jewish life in Poland.

In 3rd March 1941 Otto Wachter decided to establish a Ghetto in Krakow. The German shut those who remained in a ghetto created in the right bank of Vistula in district Podgorze. Until 20 March 1941 which was the final date there were 15,000 Jews. They were crammed into 320 buildings there was a standard 2 square meters for one person. The ghetto was overpopulated, few families in one flat. All the Jewish institutions were removed to the ghetto as the council, the hospital, the Jewish Mutual Aid Society, the orphanages, a post office, a pharmacy and an agency of the German Employment Office. All the shop-signs were change from Polish to Yiddish. In April 1941 ghetto was enclosed by a 2-3 meters high wall with four gates, the top of the wall was resamble to Jewish tomb. Main gate has a huge Star of David and a Yiddish inscription, Jidisher wojnbecitk – Jewish housing estate. After the conference in Wannsee in January 20 1942 where highest members of SS decide about Final Solution, the deportation started. In June and October 1942 there were mass deportations from the ghetto to the death camps. About 11,000 Krakow’s Jews were driven out to Belzec extermination camp. Every time the are of the ghetto was reduced. On the beginning of December 1942 the ghetto was divided to two parts: A for people who had a permission to work and ghetto b for the rest of people. This was a last preparation for ghetto liquidation.

Krakow Under Nazi Occupation

Lwowska Street Once it was one of the main street of Podgorze district. Now, after the changes in the tram line communication system is a peripheral street. In March 1943, this street was used to lead column Krakow Jews escorted by German soldiers to the concentration camp at Plaszow. On the way there is one of the last fragments of the Ghetto wall characterisitic several meters high wall topped with arches, typical from Jewish tombstones. In 1983 the commemorative plaque was fixed in with the inscription in Polish and Yiddish, “Here lived, suffered and died at the hands of. Hitler’s executioners. Therefore led their final journey to the death camps. Fragment of the Jewish Ghetto wall1941-1943.” [The second part of the ghetto wall is located at the back of the primary school at Limanowskiego street, visible from the school yard and the street.

Schindler’s Factory Museum

A must-visit museum re-opened in June 2010 in the orginal site of Schindler Factory well known from the movie Schindler’s List , this is one of the most interesting museums in Krakow.

The main exposition is  ‘Kraków During Nazi Occupation 1939-1945’ it shows: the outbreak of the war and beginning of Nazi German occupation – nazi terror – elimination of Jewish residents from city – Krakow Ghetto –  Plaszow Concentration Camp

History of Plaszow Concetration Camp

In July 1942, the construction of barracks began as a main purpose to locate Jews after the  Krakow’s  Ghetto liquidation.  It was located on the area of Podgorze Jewish municipal cemeteries close to the Jerusalem street and Abraham street.  This was another Nazi German camp built in occupated Poland.  Initially it was a forced labor camp but  since January 1944 was  converted into a concentration camp. From 27.11.1942, were located here Jews who worked in military companies. In March 1943, there were  2,000 Jews. In 13.02.1943, Amon Goeth become a camp commandant. After the liquidation of the ghetto in Podgorze  most of the people who survived were send to Plaszow  in this period number of prisoners increased to 8 000, and later on  after liquidation of different ghettos around the Krakow area  the number of prisoners rised to 10 – 12 000.
In the first stage of its existence, the camp was created as a collection camp for Jews prepared for deportation to the East. As the number of prisoners  increase in the camp, Plaszow  became a camp Jewish prisoners who worked in different German industrial companies, and since May 1943 also Polish prisoners were included in the Plaszow forced labor camp. In the summer of 1944, when the the eastern front began to approach to Poland lands, Germans began to liquidate the Plaszow camp. From July 1944 they began the deportations of prisoners to the deaths camps. By October 1944, the Germans completed covering the remains of the camp. The last transport of prisoners from Plaszow to Auschwitz left on 17/01/1945
About 25 000 unnumbered  prisoners throughtout by  the camp in Plaszow, during the period of its existence –   for them the Plaszow was only a stage on the way to other places of extermination.

What to Visit Jewish Krakow?

Remuh Synagogue and Cemetery They are situated on a small area of 4,5 hectares and Synagogue is the smallest Synagogue in Kazimierz.  It was build in 16^th century by Stanislaw Baranek as the second in the Jewish Kazimierz . It was founded by Rabbi Izrael ben Jozef , the father of Moses Isserles who was called Remuh. The synagogue courtyard entrance leads through the gate with a Hebrew inscription “ The New Synagoge of Remu blassed memory”. Today’s architectural shape and appearance of the interior are after the renovation in 1829.  During the Nazi occupation synagogue was  used as the storehouse and all valuable objects was stolen or destroyed. In 1957 thanks to the Jewish Denominational Council the synagogue was renovate and some of the interior decoration reconstructed like the bimah.  The Remuh Synagogue is still in use for religious worship.

Next to the synagogue lies the old Jewish Community cemetery which with numerous historic tombstones. It is a resting place of Jews who had immense religious and historical value.  Every year this cemetery is visited by Jews from different countries that came to pray by the graves of the famous Krakow Rabbis. The most venerated site is the tomb of Rabbi Moses Isserless Remuh who died in 1572 18 Ijar ( April/May).

During the Second World War the cemetery was destroyed, most of the tombstones were broken and the place was change for rubbish tip. After the Nazi occupation only few tombstones were saved, one of them as that of Moses Isserless this was treated as a further proof of saintly Rabbi’s miraculous power.  In 1950 during archaeological works, hundreds of tombstones as well as many broken fragments were found there. Nowadays most of them were put back in place on the surface, many of them are adorned with intriguing ornamental motifs. Many fragments of matzevahs were embedded in the wall which creates mosaic Wailing Wall.