A Day in Krakow

Sunday, July 6, 2014

A long day in Krakow!

Jagiellonian University the oldest university in Poland, founded in 1364. The black flag (raised for a recently deceased professor) is also flown each November 6 anniversary in memory of a group of 184 professors who appeared for a meeting in 1939 with Nazi officials to discuss higher education in Poland under Nazi rule. Instead, the professors were arrested, held in detention, and transported to concentration camps in Germany where many of them died. Some were released due to international intervention.

Many Jewish cemeteries were destroyed and desecrated during the German occupation of Poland. Students made a wall in the 1990s at Remu Synagogue with the pieces of Jewish tombstones. It is very moving and beautiful. The whites stones flow together, even in their brokenness, under trees in the morning sun.

Hassidic men walking together in Kazimierz, Jewish Quarter of Krakow.

The Auschwitzwieliczka monument by Miroslaw Balka was commissioned in 2009 and is located just outside former Jewish ghetto.

A piece of ghetto wall remains. In March1941 the Jews of Krakow were moved from their homes in the Kazimierz district to Podgórze, an industrial area across the river. The residents of Podgórze were ordered to leave their homes and relocate to Krakow. An area that had 4000 residents, now the ghetto, housed 17000. The ghetto was "liquidated" in March 1943. Most Jews were deported and died in camps, if they did not die of starvation and disease in the ghetto itself.

This area of Krakow used to be run down and dangerous. Then, Spielberg filmed Schindler’s List in 1993. The area is now touristy and has some of the most expensive rents in the city. The film brought much publicity to Krakow and greatly increased tourism to the area.

Plaque at Oscar Schindler Factory (he was able to help 1200 Jews survive the war and genocide). The factory is now a museum of twentieth century Polish history through German occupation and Communist takeover.