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Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City
Visites à pied

Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City

Krakow, Pologne · 2 h · 4 à 14 personnes

Se déroule en Espagnol Anglais

David Harisiadis

Discover how Nazi occupation transformed Kraków through powerful stories, historic sites and wartime photographs.

Points forts

  • See how Kraków was transformed under Nazi German occupation, from the outbreak of war to the city’s role as capital of the General Government.
  • Visit key Old Town sites linked to repression, education, religion and occupation, including the Jagiellonian University, the Franciscan Church and the former St. Michael’s Prison.
  • Bring the story to life with historical photographs and powerful personal stories, going beyond dates to understand how the occupation affected institutions and everyday life.
How did one of Poland’s great cultural and university cities become a centre of Nazi German power? This two-hour walking tour takes place entirely within Kraków’s historic Old Town and follows the transformation of the city during more than five years of German occupation. We begin with Kraków in the 1930s: Poland’s historic capital, an important centre of culture and education, and home to a large Jewish community deeply connected with the life of the city. We explore how this world was rapidly and systematically dismantled following the German invasion of Poland in September 1939. From the Main Market Square, we look at the road that led Europe back to war: the consequences of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles, economic crisis and the rise of National Socialism. After the invasion, Kraków was chosen as the capital of the German General Government, placing the city at the centre of the occupation administration. Using historical photographs throughout the tour, we walk through Planty Park and explore the attack on Polish education and intellectual life. At the Jagiellonian University, we discuss the repression of academics, censorship and the attempt to reshape the cultural identity of Kraków. We also visit a building connected with the German occupation administration, where we explore the figure of Hans Frank, Governor-General of occupied Poland: his role in the Nazi regime, his later trial at Nuremberg and the extraordinary critical perspective offered by his son, Niklas Frank. The story then takes us inside the Franciscan Church, where we examine the role of religion during the occupation and discover the story of a Franciscan friar who sacrificed his life at Auschwitz to save another prisoner. Our final stop is outside the former St. Michael’s Prison, a place associated with fear and repression. Here we follow the story through the final months of German occupation, the liberation of Kraków in January 1945 and the post-war trials of members of the Nazi apparatus. This is not simply a collection of dates and military events. It is the story of how an occupying regime tried to transform the identity, institutions and everyday life of an entire city — and what happened to the people who lived through it. Historical photographs accompany the route, and at the end I also recommend two books for anyone who would like to explore Kraków, Nazi Germany and the wider history of the Second World War in greater depth.

Ce qui est inclus

  • Photos of the day

Non inclus

  • Bottled water
  • Gratuities
  • Drinks or a tasting

À apporter

  • Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. Bring water, especially during warmer months. No ID or special equipment is required.

À savoir avant de partir

  • This is a light, easy-paced walking tour suitable for most ages and fitness levels. The route is mostly flat, with only two short sections involving stairs. No museums are entered, there is no formal dress code, and comfortable everyday clothing is perfectly suitable.

Point de rendez-vous : Meet in front of the main entrance of Zara, Rynek Główny 5, 31-042 Kraków, directly on the Main Market Square.

Please wait directly in front of the main entrance of Zara on the Main Market Square. Your guide will meet you there a few minutes before the tour starts.

Politique d'annulation : Modérée: Remboursement intégral jusqu'à 72h avant

Carte de l'itinéraire de cette visite, avec 5 étapes indiquées

Au programme

  1. 1
    Sukiennice / Cloth Hall
    Visite guidée, Arrêt photo, Marche (20 min)
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    Begin in the heart of Kraków with an introduction to the city in the 1930s, its Jewish community and its importance as a cultural and academic centre. Using historical photographs, we explore the causes of the Second World War, the German invasion of Poland and the first changes imposed on Kraków under occupation.

  2. 2
    Pałac Pod Baranami
    Arrêt photo, Marche (25 min)
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    Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City

    Discover how Kraków became an administrative centre of German occupation. Pałac Pod Baranami housed the authorities of the Kraków District, making it an ideal place to explain the General Government, the process of Germanization and the figures who controlled occupied Kraków.

  3. 3
    Jagiellonian University
    Arrêt photo, Marche (25 min)
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    Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City

    Explore the attack on Polish education and intellectual life. We discuss the Sonderaktion Krakau, the arrest of university professors, the closure of higher education and the wider use of censorship and repression to weaken Polish cultural identity.

  4. 4
    Franciscan Church
    Arrêt photo, Marche (20 min)
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    Inside the Franciscan Church, we explore the role of religion during the German occupation and the difficult choices faced by religious communities. We also discuss the story of Maximilian Kolbe, the Franciscan friar who gave his life at Auschwitz to save another prisoner.

  5. 5
    Former St. Michael’s Prison
    Arrêt photo, Marche (20 min)
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    Krakow Under the Swastika: The Germanization of a City

    Finish at one of Kraków’s historic sites of imprisonment and repression. We examine the final period of German occupation, the liberation of the city in January 1945 and the difficult transition into the post-war era, including justice for Nazi crimes and the emergence of a new system of political repression.

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20 EUR / personne
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