Thanks to the Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List, people from all over the world could see one of the most amazing war stories that occurred in Kraków. Based on facts and tells about the German industrialist, Oskar Schindler (played by Liam Neeson) who employed Jews in his enamel factory. He came to the city (newly conquered by Nazis) from the Sudetenland, planning just to do business. But after some time, Schindler realized the tragic position of Krakow Jews and began to protect them from the murderous inclinations of the occupation authorities. He managed to save from deportation to the death camps approx. 1200 people by employing them in his factory.
The main bad character in Spielberg’s film is the commandant of Płaszów concentration camp, Amon Göth (frighteningly portrayed by Ralph Fiennes). Many scenes were filmed in the Jewish area in Kazimierz (even the gate of the Krakow Ghetto in fact located in Podgórze district was reconstructed near the Old Synagogue) and in ‘Liban’ Quarry, where the film designers recreated a nightmarish reality of the concentration camp (some parts of the scenography such as the famous road made of Jewish tombstones are still there).
Is good to begin the Schindler’s List tour from the Kazimierz district – not only because the film was shoot there, but especially for places of memory – witnesses of real events about which we must not forget. In Kazimierz You can see many traces of varied world of Jews before Holocaust. Great monuments and places (7 synagogues, the building of the Great Mikvah, a fascinating museum exhibitions) gives us a diverse picture of Jewish life before World War II. Then we would like to invite You to the former Ghetto area in Podgórze district (You can read about it in another our article). The last spot of this tour should be the visit in the Oscar Schindler’s former ‘Enamel’ factory in Zabłocie, where You can see the spectacular exhibition ‘Krakow under Nazi Occupation 1939-1945’. Quasi-theatrical scenery, recordings, photographs, and other original artifacts enriched by the latest audio-visual technology support the narrative about dramatic wartime past of the city.
Schindler tour krakow
Before you choose our Oscar Schindler tour Krakow, we strongly reccomend you to watch Steven Spielberg’s movie. Our guided tour will be an occasion to compare movie plot with real facts. Our sightseeing ends in the Oscar Schindler’s former ‘Emalia’ Factory.
