Kazimierz – also known as Krakow’s Jewish Quarter – is a 15-minute
walk from Krakow’s Old Town. For over
500 years, Kazimierz was a place of peaceful coexistence between the ethnic
Polish and Jewish communities and was the centre of Jewish life until the Nazis
took control of Poland.
When the Nazis took control of Krakow, newly appointed
Governor General Hans Frank declared that Krakow would become the most
“racially pure” city in all of Europe and expunged all but 15,000 Jews from the
city. These remaining individuals were
forced from their homes into to the Jewish Ghetto located in the industrial
area on the other side of the river, far enough away to keep the rest of the
population “clean and safe”. One of the
notable residents was Roman Polanski who recounted his experiences there many
years later.
The Ghetto was physically very small, with room for about
3,000 individuals versus the 15,000 that lived there. Without enough space inside the homes to
house everyone, many ended up living on the streets and, much like in Warsaw,
disease and illness ran rampant.
In the centre square of the Ghetto – now named Ghetto Heroes
Square – are 33 iron/bronze chairs – bringing to life a haunting photograph
that captured the Jews moving to the Ghetto and being forced to carry all of
their possessions – including chairs – on their person. Approximately 33,000 Jews perished in the
Krakow Ghetto.
When all of the Jews had been moved to the Ghetto, a wall
was erected around it. In a symbolically
cruel gesture, the wall was designed in the shape of tombstones…and the construction
began right at the start of Passover, a time when the Jewish community
celebrates their liberation from slavery in Egypt.
There are some stories of the Gentile resistance in Krakow, such
as Polish Roman Catholic pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who obtained permission
from the German authorities to run the "Under the Eagle Pharmacy" and
treat the community living in the Ghetto.
And others, like Oskar Schindler, who although a controversial figure,
is also recognized with fighting for and saving the lives of 1,200 Jews by
employing Jews in his enamelware and ammunitions factories and paying off Nazi
guards in order to house them close to the factory and keep them safe. Schindler’s old factory is now a museum
tracing the horrors of WWII in Krakow.
After the war ended, the Jewish Quarter fell into disrepair
under Communist rule and became one of the city’s dodgiest districts.
In the 1990s, however, Steven Spielberg filmed Schindler’s List
in the Quarter, bringing new attention and life to the area. Tourists came from all around the world to reflect
and learn more, helping it to re-emerge as a bustling, bohemian neighbourhood
full of historical sites and atmosphere.
The Jewish Quarter was easily our favourite area of Krakow, with
quaint houses and uneven streets, innovative (and vegetarian!) restaurants and
an overwhelming feeling of warmth and authenticity.
And we are not alone. Many believe that Kazimierz is the European
city that conveys the most genuine sense of what pre-war Jewish and Polish life
was like, with synagogues and Jewish cemeteries still intact and houses similar
to what would have existed before the Nazis invaded.
While in the Jewish Quarter, we did our best to embrace
Jewish culture, eating at many Jewish-inspired restaurants and listening to a
live Klezmer performance, which was haunting yet warm and much more enjoyable
than we had anticipated. But in the back
of our mind, we knew this district wasn’t completely authentic – of the 60,000-80,000
Jews living in the city before the War, there are now only 700 that remain, far
smaller than the Quarter can accommodate and making the tragedy feel even more
real.
On our hiking days, we ate responsible breakfasts of fruits,
nuts and grains and lots of water.
In between work, we did a couple of fantastic hikes during
our stay. 
Having brought with us our ski jackets, gloves and hats to be comfortable in climate that was forecast, we had to change our strategy somewhat when we were met with an unseasonable heatwave that had the climate reaching the mid-30s in the middle of the day! Naturally, the ski jacket was shelved and substituted with our gym clothes! 
For the second, we drove into town and then took a
funicular before starting our ascent in hopes of reaching a cable car (that still had tickets available) to take
us to the mountain’s top peak. 
Eager to do some hiking, we investigated online and found an adorable looking
hotel in the Tatra Mountains. It reminded us of the hotel façade in the movie,
The Grand Budapest Hotel, so although it was expensive, we decided to go for it and booked it and a rental car to get us to Slovakia.
As we crossed over into Slovakia – almost an unnoticeable
marking – we were struck by the immediate difference in road conditions and
houses. Driving through Poland, we were
impressed by the well-maintained roads and well-maintained and large houses that lined
the streets. In Slovakia, the roads were
cracked and uneven and the houses felt unkempt. 
We pulled up to the hotel to find an attractive exterior and
were greeted at the door with a glass of sparkling wine feeling instantly
hopeful that things were back on track. But
as we checked into our room and went out onto the patio to take a look at the
beautiful mountain surround, we were met with a view of the parking lot - which we had paid substantially more for.
Disheartened, we spent the next hour online looking for
alternatives and considering whether to just head straight to Gdansk. Luckily, getting the hotel manager involved, we were able to find a decent solution that,
although imperfect, at least offered us some better views of nature. 
Putting the situation behind us, we decided to head over to
an International Folk Festival that was happening on the other side of the
lake. The turnout was enormous with several thousand seats sold out and the grassy picnic areas along the
side buzzing with people. 
Nonetheless, for the next hour we took in the traditional
folk dancing and singing that Geoff had craved to see as we planned our Polish
adventure. The performances were professional
and impressive and even though the singing hurt our ears sometimes, the evening
was a splendid display of local culture.
The Krakow Philharmonic Orchestra was created in 1945
shortly after the war ended and has evolved to become the most active orchestra
in Poland. 
Beth certainly felt her Polish roots surge to the forefront
when tasting Cherry Vodka, a Polish delicacy and the most delicious beverage. Thank goodness this drink is not readily
available elsewhere….
Kazimierz – also known as Krakow’s Jewish Quarter – is a 15-minute
walk from Krakow’s Old Town. For over
500 years, Kazimierz was a place of peaceful coexistence between the ethnic
Polish and Jewish communities and was the centre of Jewish life until the Nazis
took control of Poland.
The Ghetto was physically very small, with room for about
3,000 individuals versus the 15,000 that lived there. Without enough space inside the homes to
house everyone, many ended up living on the streets and, much like in Warsaw,
disease and illness ran rampant.
In the centre square of the Ghetto – now named Ghetto Heroes
Square – are 33 iron/bronze chairs – bringing to life a haunting photograph
that captured the Jews moving to the Ghetto and being forced to carry all of
their possessions – including chairs – on their person. Approximately 33,000 Jews perished in the
Krakow Ghetto. 
There are some stories of the Gentile resistance in Krakow, such
as Polish Roman Catholic pharmacist Tadeusz Pankiewicz, who obtained permission
from the German authorities to run the "Under the Eagle Pharmacy" and
treat the community living in the Ghetto.
And others, like Oskar Schindler, who although a controversial figure,
is also recognized with fighting for and saving the lives of 1,200 Jews by
employing Jews in his enamelware and ammunitions factories and paying off Nazi
guards in order to house them close to the factory and keep them safe. Schindler’s old factory is now a museum
tracing the horrors of WWII in Krakow.
After the war ended, the Jewish Quarter fell into disrepair
under Communist rule and became one of the city’s dodgiest districts.
Every year on August 1st, the Warsaw Uprising is
commemorated throughout Poland. 