Plaszow Concentration Camp

On our first day in Krakow, Katie and I decided to take a tour of the Jewish history in Krakow, including various sites from the inspiring film Schindler's List. We visited Plaszow Concentration Camp, a site where more than 150,000 prisoners were held from 1942 - 1945. Prisoners were evacuated by Death Marches in 1945 because of the Soviets' approach and the camp was destroyed so there would be no evidence of the crimes there. In its current state, Plaszow Concentration Camp grounds are a place for reflection. It is an empty lot where people can walk around. The sign reads "Dear Visitors! You are entering the site of the former concentration camp 'Plaszow'. Please respect the grievous history of the site."


The Plaszow Concentration Camp is perhaps most famous for the crimes of SS commander Amon Goeth. You may remember Goeth from Schindler's List - he was known for shooting people from his home for sport, among other atrocities.
Goeth's home is still standing - it cannot be torn down, but understandably, no one wants to live there or turn this site into a place for people to visit. It just sits, staring out at the concentration camp that he was in charge of for years.

This is the view of Goeth's house from Plaszow. He had to use a high powered rifle to shoot people from such a distance. After being tried and sentenced to death in 1946, Goeth was hung at Plaszow, the site of his many sins.

The Plaszow site is not entirely empty. This memorial stands as a reminder of the horrors that took place there. The people are Jews facing the ground, because of the incredibly demoralizing evils that they experienced. The torn out bit is intentional - it symbolizes their hearts having been ripped out.

There are no words to describe the emotional experience of visiting these sites from such recent history.