Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory

Kraków – occupation period 1939-1945 – The exhibition presents the fate of Krakow and its Polish and Jewish inhabitants during World War II. It shows the activities of the German occupiers who brutally interrupted the centuries-old history of coexistence of various communities in the city.

The central point of the exhibition is the story of Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik and its owner, Oskar Schindler. Visitors have the opportunity to see his office and the “ark of survivors” – an installation made of pots produced in the factory during the war. The exhibition was designed in a way reminiscent of theater and film scenography. Visitors can stroll through reconstructed parts of the city, such as the cobblestone streets, the Jewish ghetto and the Płaszów camp. The exhibition consists of 45 different spaces using modern multimedia technologies, including interactive touch screens and sound tracks. Key moments in the city’s history are marked with special “memory machines”. The whole thing ends with an installation titled “Choice Hall”, which symbolizes the ethical dilemmas and choices of people in times of war.

Crime spiral. Krakow’s inhabitants on death postersavailable 25/05/2024 – 01/06/2025 It presents the tragic fate of the inhabitants of Krakow who found themselves on the so-called “death posters” during the German occupation. In the autumn of 1943, the Germans began to publicly post announcements with the names of people sentenced to death, intended to intimidate the local population. The exhibition includes original posters, memorabilia of the murdered, documents and testimonies of the victims’ families. It focuses on the period of German occupation, from September 1939 to January 1945. The exhibition ends with segments devoted to the memory of the victims and post-war processes, reaching back to modern times.

Fabryka Emalia Oskar Schindlera< /span>, has its origins in 1937, when it was founded as the “Rekord” Enamel Dishes and Tin Products Factory. The company was originally located at ul. Romanowicza 9, but in January 1938 it moved to a new building at 4 Lipowa Street in Kraków’s Zabłocie district. In November 1939, German entrepreneur Oskar Schindler took control of the factory, which was then bankrupt. He soon changed its name to Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik (DEF) and began its expansion. 

During World War II, Schindler employed Jewish workers in his factory, thus saving them from deportation to extermination camps. Thanks to his efforts, approximately 1,100 Jews avoided death, which was made possible by the creation of the famous “Schindler’s List”. In 1944, due to the approaching eastern front, Schindler evacuated the factory to Brněnec in the Czech Republic, where the employees survived until the end of the war.

After the war, the factory was taken over by the state treasury, and in 2005 by the city of Kraków. In 2007, it was decided to divide the building between the Historical Museum of the City of Krakow and the Museum of Contemporary Art.