Nazi Germany invaded Poland on 1 September 1939 and five days later
Krakow fell. Hans Frank's General Government then subjected the Polish
and Jews to four and a half years of terror.
The story begins with the plundering of the city's treasures, the
relocation of the people and the first arrests and executions. The Jews
were soon confined to Podgorze Ghetto, where they were forced to work in
factories such as Oskar Schindler's. The terror increased with
deportations and the bloody liquidation of the ghetto as the Jews were
moved into Amon Göth's Plaszow concentration camp. Selections and
murders followed, while Schindler bribed and conned his way to save his
workforce before moving them to his Sudetenland home town. The Polish
underground also fought back through sabotage, assassinations and
propaganda, until the Soviets captured Krakow.
This is an essential guide to Krakow - a city of contrasts, with a
medieval center and communist-era outskirts. Rawson details the relevant
sights, including the Jewish Quarter, Wawel Castle, Podgorze Ghetto and
Plaszow camp. He also explores the relevant museums, including the
Schindler factory, the Gestapo headquarters and the Home Army Museum.
The city is an ideal base for visiting nearby Auschwitz-Birkenau.
