Reserve your Visit
Online Store
Support Us
Krakow was the seat of the German administration of Poland (Generalgouvernement) during the Nazi occupation.
The Germans occupied Krakow in September 1939. In December the Germans carried out an extensive terror campaign in the Jewish neighborhoods of Krakow, aimed primarily at confiscating vast amounts of Jewish property. During that period a number of synagogues were destroyed as well.
In May 1940, Jews were forbidden from appearing in central streets and squares in the city, and the Germans began expelling the Jews of Krakow to nearby towns. By March 1941, approximately 40,000 Jews had been expelled and only 11,000 remained in the city. The remaining Jews were concentrated in a ghetto. By March 1943 the ghetto was liquidated; most of the ghetto’s inhabitants had been deported to the death camps.