Oscar Schindler's Enamel Factory

Schindler's Factory is one of the well-known museum in Cracow. In the fast it was a former metal item factory, but now it hosts two museums: Museum of Contemporary Art in Cracow and Historical Museum of the city of Cracow. Before, it was the first this kind of factory in Malopolska. It's located in district Zablocie, on 4 Lipowa Street.

The company was founded by three Jewish busines, Michal Gutman from Bedzin, Izrael Kahn from Kraków, and Wolf Luzer Glajtman from Olkusz. Everything changed on 1st September 1939 when World War II began. Probably that time Oscar Schindler, a Sudeten German member of NSDAP, arrived to Cracow. Using the power of German occupation he took over the company and the factory in Zablocie. At the beginning he mainly was employing Poles, but with that the situation changed and the majority of employees were Jews. He started hiring Jews when the situation of the Jews was getting worse and worse, a job could help them avoiding transporting to a work camp. He also produced ammunition shells what made his factory classified as an essential part of the war effort and help for German occupation. In 1943 part of Jews who survived was taken to work camp in Plaszow, but Schindler managed to create a sub camp where his employees had less contacts with cam guards. To save as many people as it was possible, he created a list with his accountant (Schindler's List). With help of the list and bribery he managed to save over 1000 people and take them to a new factory. They were working there until 1945, when the war ended. 

In 2007 it was decided to give the building of the factory for the Historical Museum of thecity of Cracow. The Museum decided to make an exhibition where visitors could see the story of the factory with whole historical context of that times. You can learn how looked Cracow during World War II, how people used to live and how looked the situation of the Jews., You can also read there the stories of people saved by Schindler. For sure it's one of the most interesting museums you can find in Cracow. You can have a chance to get a guide who will help you to understand better the most important historical issues. Trip to the museum can be also organised by a travel agency, like DiscoverCracow.

Here you can find more information.