The Oskar Schindler Factory is an important place to visit while exploring Krakow. During the II World War Schindler helped many Jews from the Krakow ghetto. In 1993 Steven Spielberg immortalized Schindler’s Factory in his well known movie ‘Schindler’s List’.
Oscar Schindler came to Krakow right after German invasion on Poland in September 1939. As a member of the Nazi party Schindler managed to take over the factory established in 1937 by Jewish businessmen. The factory originally known under its Polish name as Fabryka Naczyn Emaliowanych i Wyrobow Blaszanych ‘Rekord’ was renamed Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik (DEF). When Schindler took over the factory it continued to produce cookware and varied metal vessels, primarily for the German army. What is more Schindler also launched the production of ammunition, so he was able to directly assist the Third Reich in war effort.
The Oskar Schindler Factory reduced costs by employing cheap labour from the Krakow Jewish getto organized by the Nazis. Soon Schindler started to care about his workers. When Germans liquidated the ghetto in 1943 and moved the remaining Jews to the Plaszow concentration camp, Schindler opened its branch on the premises of his factory complete with barbed-wire fences and watchtowers. In 1944 Schindler relocated his bussiness and moved to Bohemia’s Brunnlitz. He took 1200 Jewish workers with him. They stayed in Gross-Rosen Concentration Camp and survived there to be liberated by the Soviets on May 8, 1945
Now the Oskar Schindler Factory of Enameled Vessels ‘Emalia’ at 4 Lipowa street has been transformed into a museum. It takes around 2 hours to visit the factory and see all the ingenious exhibitions. You can also visit a bookshop, a cafe, a cinema, and a temporary exhibition area. The Oskar Schindler Factory is an interesting place to see while visiting Krakow.