Music and the Holocaust: Kraków. During the inter-war years, with a well-established Jewish community of around 60,000, the city of Kraków was a centre of Jewish cultural life. Ironically, however, the ghetto that became the last home for tens of thousands of Polish Jews was not located in the historically Jewish area of the city; thus, although the ghetto itself was destroyed, the Jewish neighbourhood remained intact. The city of Kraków today houses one of the few surviving historical Jewish areas in Poland, although the Jews themselves were murdered or emigrated long ago. The Kraków ghetto was officially established in March 1941. Two major camps were constructed nearby: the labour camp Plaszow, and the death camp Auschwitz, only forty miles away. Inside the ghetto, people were crammed together in harsh conditions, with little food. Holocaust Timeline: The Krakow Ghetto 1940-43. The Virtual Jewish History Tour - Cracow.
Kraków (also Cracow) is the second largest, and one of the oldest, cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River, the city dates back to the 7th century and has been one of the leading centers of Polish academic, cultural and artistic life. Jewish history in the city can be traced back to the 14th or 15th century. - Early History - 15th Century - 16th Century - 17th Century - 18th Century - 19th Century - Inter-War Period - The Holocaust - Post-Holocaust Period - Jewish Tourist Sites Early History Jews arrived in Cracow in the late 13th century among German immigrants traveling on a commercial route to Prague. 15th Century Disagreements continued between the Jews and the other residents of Cracow during the 15th century. 16th Century An influx of immigrants from Bohemia-Moravia, as well as from Germany, Italy, Spain and Portugal came to Kazimierz in the 16th century. 17th Century 18th Century 19th Century Cracow changed hands again in 1809 and became part of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw.
Bernard Offen Video. Holocaust Survivors Walk | Bernard Offen. Voices of the Holocaust. During the 1930s and 40s, the Nazis and their collaborators murdered six million Jews. Hitler's intention was to destroy all Jewish communities, and to build a 'master race' of Aryans. Many other 'non-aryans' were persecuted including Romanies, homosexuals, and the disabled, as well as those who were politically opposed to the Nazis. This terrible moment in history is now known as the Holocaust. It remains one of the most horrific examples in recent European history of indifference, inhumanity, prejudice and genocide.
Voices of the Holocaust consists of oral history testimonies gathered from Jewish men and women who came to live in Britain during or after WWII. Further interviews with Jewish survivors of the Holocaust can be found on the Sounds website. Survivor testimonies Listen to personal stories from Jewish Holocaust survivors, and learn what life was like for Jews during Hitler's reign. Information cards Discover more about the background to the Holocaust. Reference Activities ShareThis. Holocaust Survivors. The Holocaust - Comprehensive Resources About the Holocaust. Holocaust Encyclopedia.