City walks

The Occupied Wawel Castle: New Architecture and Function

As early as October 1939, Germans renamed Wawel Castle to Krakauer Burg. The former seat of Polish kings became the residence of Governor-General Hans Frank and the place where his numerous administration worked and lived. What was the purpose of each of the Wawel buildings?

A No-Existent City Quarter

During World War II, Krakow was the seat of the General Government. Accordingly, a number of offices were located in the city, and the German administration employed numerous German officials. In February 1941, it was decided to build a separate German district. The plans for the housing estate, which was to stretch along today's Królewska Street.

The Former Ghetto in Krakow: History, Places, People

The ghetto for Jews in the Podgórze district of Krakow was established in March 1941 by the German occupation authorities. During the walk we will have the opportunity to learn about this painful, yet very important part of the history of Krakow and its inhabitants. 

Architectural Changes in the Krakow City Centre during the German Occupation

German construction activity in Krakow consisted in adapting the city to the role of the capital of the General Government. The overriding plan of the occupant was the Germanisation of the former Polish capital city: Krakow was to be transformed into a model German city in the East.

The Railroad Legacy of the Third Reich, or How the "Ostbahn" Modernised the Krakow Junction

The consolidation of the German rule in the conquered territories of Poland entailed investment in railroad infrastructure. On the one hand, the occupier was adapting the network of the former Polish State Railways to new needs, and on the other, Germans wanted to show the superiority of their technical culture over the achievements of the Second Polish Republic.

Przegorzały: In the Shadow of the Castle

During the walk, the guide will discuss the history of the towers and the castle, as well as Przegorzały, and the life of Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz.

City – Camp – City. KL Plaszow Memorial Site

During the walk, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the contemporary topography of the memorial site with reference to the history of KL Plaszow and wartime Krakow, and trace the relationship between the city and the (former) camp.