Oskar Schindler Fabrik, Krakau

[CARL]

Most of us have seen the Spielberg epic, ¨Schindler's List¨, but for those fortunate enough to visit Krakow, consider spending a few hours at the museum located in the former Oskar Schindler Fabrik in the city.

As expected, crowds were an issue during our recent trip but they do recede at earlier and later times in the year. Below, a illustrated guide through some of the more interesting features of what is a very well presented museum

Carl

[CARL]

(I-II) Near to the museum itself, surviving buildings of the former Krakau Getto - note the memorial marker to the victims of a 1942 massacre

(III) Outside the former enamel factory of Oskar Schindler

(IV) The inside of the factory gates

[CARL]

(V-VI) Occupation, oppression

(VII-VIII) Propaganda

[CARL]

(IX) Internal stairwell

(X) Oskar Schindler's desk

(XI) Factory machinery

(XII) Product

[CARL]

Photography. It would take days to study the entire collection, the museum has such a large volume of material. Below, a few of the more striking images on display.

(XIII) Jews construct the walls of the Ghetto

(XIV) The liquidation of the ghetto

(XV) Aftermath

[CARL]

The factory itself was a satellite camp of KL-Plaszow with the Kommandant, the infamous Amon Göth. The workers, over 1000 of whom would eventually be saved and known as Schindler's Jews, were detailed to the subcamp from the main camp at Plaszow.

(XVI-XVII) Below, a well presented reconstruction of a section of camp gate / fencing and quarry, where the prisoners worked near to the main camp. The case displays items found at the site, such as spectacles, buttons and keys.

[CARL]

(XVIII-IXX) Images taken at Konzentrationslager Plaszow, showing members of the camp SS

(XX-XXI) Replica SS uniform and visor

[CARL]

(XXII-XXIII) The courtyard. A trolley used to transport product and left over materials from the factory.

[CARL]

(XXIV) Finally, a room displaying the names of those saved.

[TWS]

Thanks for posting this thread Carl.

I visited Krakow in 2001 and unfortunately the tourism surrounding Schindler's list was not as advanced as it is now. We went to the Jewish center to obtain a brochure/guide to a self-guided tour of significant locations. We stood outside of Schindler's former factory but could not enter as it was still a factory, electronics I believe. It had not yet been converted into a museum.

Much more recently I saw a video on Youtube that a school teacher made when he took his class on a field trip to and inside of the factory museum. Those that are interested can probably find it without much trouble.