Oscar Schindler Factory Museum, Krakow

I came here a few years ago with my family, at that time it was just an empty factory, there was talk about a possible museum. I am so glad that the idea was realized.

A couple of weeks ago we got to the museum at about 11am and the line was already fairly intimidating but that did not deter us. 

I was expecting the museum to be about Oscar Schindler, it wasn't.  In fact, there is actually very little there about Schindler, but this museum is so much more.  Schindler's factory has been transformed into a museum devoted to the wartime experience in Krakow under the Nazi occupation during WWII.
It shows prewar Krakow, the German invasion in 1939, Krakow during the occupation, the hardships of everyday life, the history and plight of Krakow Jews, Polish resistance and the beginning of the Soviet capture of the city.

 With the help of some very well done exhibits, the museum manages to convey the horrors of daily life for Jews and non Jews. 

 A notice calling for all of the Jewish population to show up with picks and shovels to fill all of the anti aircraft ditches dug up in the streets.
 

With the help of some very well done exhibits, the museum manages to convey the horrors of daily life for Jews and non Jews. 

 The systemic "Germanization" of Krakow.

 German propaganda

 
 

  

 

 

    

 The walls of the Krakow Ghetto.

    

"I suddenly realized that we were to be walled in.  I felt awful and began to cry."  Roman Polanski, age 8 
Roman Polanski and his father survived the Krakow Ghetto, his mother died at Auschwitz.  

   



 German account of the population of the Krakow Ghetto.

   
This part of the museum is the recreation of Schindler's office. 
Taking advantage of the German occupation rule to "Germanize" all Jewish and Polish-owned businesses, Oscar Schindler managed to appropriate the factory which was set up by Jewish businessmen.  Schindler owned two other factories in Krakow but only Emalia employed Jewish workers from the Ghetto.  At its peak, Emalia employed 1,700 Jewish workers who after the liquidation of the Krakow Ghetto were relocated to the nearby Plaszow camp.  In order to save his workers, Schindler added a new armaments manufacturing division to Emalia and claimed that the Jewish workers were essential to the war effort.  After Plaszow was re-designed as a concentration camp, Schindler persuaded the SS to turn Emalia into a sub camp of Plaszow thus making it possible for 1000 workers to continue their employment.  Schindler also permitted 450 Jews who were employed at other local factories to live at Emalia. 
When Emalia Jews were moved into the Plaszow camp without special privileges, Schindler was permitted to move his factory to Moravia and operate solely as an armaments factory.  His assistant created a list of 1200 Jewish prisoners that would be needed to work in the new factory.  Schindler ended up saving the lives of 800 men and about 300-400 women. 

He went back to Germany on May 9, 1945, and later moved to Argentina.  Yad Vashem awarded him the title "Righteous Among Nations" in 1962.  Oscar Schindler died in Germany in 1974, penniless and practically unknown.

  

 This is the furniture from Schindler's office.

 

Enamel cookware exhibit meant to commemorate the Jewish workers who survived while employed by Oscar Schindler. 

 

 Soviet troops enter the city and the communist rule begins.

I have visited many Nazi concentration camps and Holocaust museums and have to say that this museum, although not grand in size, is very well done.  It is very engaging, moving  and easy to navigate.  I will be coming back during another visit to Krakow.

Oscar Schindler Museum
ul.  Lipowa 4
Krakow


Joanna