Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
- May 31, 2007
- Rated 4 of 5 by
fionademp from London, United Kingdom
Kazimierz is home to the Jewish quarter of Krakow. Once a vibrant area housing over 60,000 Jews the Jewish population has dwindled to around 100 due to the effects of the war. If you are looking for Jewish history, be sure to visit the eastern side, as the western side is predominantly catholic. There are three remaining synagogues within the quarter. Two are now museums and one remains a practizing synagogue. The Remu'h Cemetery is attached to Krakow’s only active orthodox synagogue. You can visit both the synagogue and the cemetery during the day from 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday. The entrance to the cemetery contains plaques, many of which will bring tears to the eyes. The plaques I was able to read in English were dedications from surviving members of families who were killed during the war. Many of the plaques commemorate entire families whose lives were taken. Although the cemetery has been damaged, recent excavation work has revealed hidden gravestones. The cemetery remains a place of Jewish pilgrimage and many of the graves have stones, candles, and prayers placed on them. In the middle of the Jewish quarter, there is a main square, which has a market and is surrounded by cafes, bars, and restaurants. The quarter is steeped in history and incredibly pretty. There are a number of places to eat around the square and you will notice the close-knit community feeling here. To get here from Krakow’s main square, head towards the castle and continue along Starowislna for about 20 minutes. There is a main road where it seems like you’ve gone to far, but carry on across and the Jewish quarter is just over the other side. We went after visiting the castle and it makes for an interesting day out.
From journal Weekend break in Krakow
Editor Pick
Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
"We’re going to Krakow!" says Chava to her father Tevye when the Russian pogrom forces the Jewish families of Anatevka from their homes at the end of the musical ‘Fiddler On The Roof’. If she and her husband really did take that journey, they would have ended up in Kazimierz, the district to the south-east of the old town. Unlike in the Tsarist Empire, in Krakow – then ruled from Vienna – Jews had equal rights with Christians from 1867 onwards. This saw the Jewish population, which had first settled in the area of Kazimierz under the auspices of King Kazimir the Great in the 14th century, expand into one of the largest and most vibrant communities in the world, ranking with those in Vilnius and Prague. By 1939 the Jewish population in Krakow numbered 64,000, comprising an entire quarter of the citizenry.
The tragedy that befell the Jews of Krakow is part of the tragedy that befell Europe in the 20th century. Of those 64,000, a mere 2,000 survived the Holocaust. The last left Kazimierz in 1968. Today only 1,000 Jews still reside in Krakow, of whom only 200 or so still identify themselves as part of that once-great Jewish community.
The story of the tumultuous rise and sudden destruction of the city’s Jewish population is ably told through a walk around Kazimierz. There are now only two synagogues still in operation. Others are now devoted to recording the history of the district. The Synagoga Izaaka on Kupa Street, and the Historical Museum in the Old Synagogue, a low butter-scotch coloured building with a zig-zagging roof on Szeroka are the best. They each cost 7 zlotys (6 for students). They are crammed with informatory boards looking at the architecture, religious life, culture and even sports of the community. In the Izaak Synagogue men need to cover their head out of respect.
Head coverings are also necessary when visiting either of the two Jewish cemeteries – the 16th century Remuh (2 zloty),and the 19th century New Cemetery (Cmentarza Nowego – free). The gatekeepers can rent hats if you have forgotten them. These cemeteries are leafy, quiet places that speak of peace and contentment, of happier generations. Some graves are still remembered by descendants – these are the ones with piles of pebbles balanced atop the stones.
From here, return to the bustle of the square in Szeroka. Cars park in the centre of the square, but around the edges there are many stalls selling souvenirs, antiques, and old postcards. The square is also ringed with bars and restaurants, many with folkloric shows and klezmer bands. There is even one restaurant down the far end called Anatewka – perhaps Chava and her husband made it after all…?
A good resource for those interested in learning more about the Jewish history of Kazimierz is the Jewish Virtual Library at www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org
From journal The Stags of Krakow
Editor Pick
Kazimierz (Jewish Quarter)
- May 19, 2002
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Hajo from Witten, Germany
Christian and Jewish history go hand in hand in Krakow. This is best symbolized by Kosciol Bozego Ciala, the Church of Corpus Domini, a Gothic church with rich gold- plated Baroque ornaments on the inside, which stands right in the middle of the Jewish Quarter, Kazimierz. At a time when Jews were accused of having brought the Plague to Western Europe in the 14th century, Casimir the Great invited them to Poland and Kazimierz became one of the largest Jewish settlements in Eastern Europe.
Seven synagogues have remained throughout that time. Like all of old Krakow, they only survived destruction by a hair's breadth. When the Red Army freed Krakow in 1945, the whole town had apparently been covered with dynamite by the Nazis, but the withdrawing German army lacked the time to trigger the explosion.
Nonetheless, the beauty of Kazimierz has eroded. The Jewish population had been almost completely exterminated by 1943, the Ghetto was destroyed, and the whole Jewish quarter has been left deserted for decades under the Communist regime. Nowadays, as Jewish families have returned to Krakow in larger numbers, restoration work is underway throughout the whole quarter. Yet only one of the seven synagogues is still being used as such. The largest old synagogue now hosts the Museum of History of the City of Krakow. The Jewish Cemetery is the only one in Gothic style left in Europe.
All around Kazimierz, Jewish life has begun to prosper again. New shops are opening constantly, selling anything from kosher food to Jewish books, artwork and antiques.
From journal Little Poland, Big Time
Editor Pick
KAZIMIERZ
This area became the JEWISH QUARTER, home to Jews fleeing persecution from all corners of Europe.
At the outbreak of World WarII this area was populated by about 70,000 Jews. During the war the Germans relocated the Jews to a walled ghetto and then exterminated them in the nearby Plaszow death camp. Steven Spielberg's film, SCHINDLER'S LIST, tells the story of the Jews living in the area. The current Jewish population is now around 100.
I appreciated seeing a 15th century synagogue which somehow, miraculously survived the war. This is the oldest Jewish building in Poland. Today this building houses the JEWISH MUSEUM. Behind the synagogue is the REMU'H CEMETARY, which has some Renaissance gravestones.
There are a few Jewish restaurants and stores now. Stopping in and walking to the Jewish people was an extremly meaningful experience.
From journal An Historic Gem-Krakow Poland