We took a tour of the former jewish Ghetto in Krakow, which was established by the Nazis during WW2. The tour began with a walk from the main square to the Jewish quarter which took us approximately 15 minutes. We cross the Wisla River on a modern foot bridge called “Father Bernatek Footbridge” which had some unique features. It is a twin design leaf-shaped, 130 meters long structure made for pedestrians and cyclists.

We crossed over the bridge and then went into the former Jewish Ghetto.  There were several buildings that has remained basically untouched since WW2.

We went to the Jewish synagogue which was a pivotal location in the Ghetto. Nazi’s executed Jews in front of the Synagogue on a regular basis. It is hard to imagine the atrocities that occurred here.

A monument was erected in the front of the Synagogue to honour the Jews murdered by the Nazi’s.

We then walked through the streets of the former jewish ghetto and came across another monument. This monument was erected and remembered all the victims during the German occupation in the jewish ghetto.

The plaque on the monument was very moving. The thoughts of how many Jewish people were killed and prosecuted here is truly heartbreaking. The plaque reads “Place of Meditation upon the martyrdom of 65 thousand Polish citizens of Jewish nationality from cracow and its environs killed by the nazis during world war II”

We walked along a narrow roadway and came to a small alleyway. Down the alleyway was an area which was used as a scene in the movie from “Schindler’s list”

We walked up a cobble stone street called ulica Szeroka and along side the street is a large brick and stone wall.

This wall separates the Jewish cemetery from the street. The wall is considered a “wailing wall”. During the war the cemetery was destroyed by the Nazis and apparently the tombstones were removed and used as paving stones in one of the labour camps.

After the war the tombstones were brought back to the cemetery and some of them which were not identifiable were used in the wailing wall.

On the same street was a bronze statue in memory of Jan Karski.

We walked through the former ghetto looking at the different areas. It was hard to imagine the horror that the Jewish people endured there. We eventually came to the ghetto heroes square. In the square are 33 memorial chairs. Each chair is made of cast iron and bronze.

Each bronze chair represents 2000 murdered Jewish people from Krakow and the area.

 

We spend the afternoon walking through the former ghetto. It was an interesting and emotional time. We enjoyed the tour and learning the history of the Polish people.

“Do widzenia i dobry dzień”