Oskar Schindler’s Enamel Factory (Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik, or DEF) in Kraków stands today as a vital monument to moral complexity, human resilience, and the possibility of individual courage in the face of mass atrocity. While initially an opportunistic acquisition by a German industrialist seeking wartime profits, the factory quickly transformed into a sanctuary for over a thousand Jewish laborers, known as the Schindlerjuden. The history of the factory is inextricably linked to the Holocaust in occupied Poland, and its present-day role as an immersive museum ensures that the critical lessons of the past continue to resonate globally.
The factory’s history began in 1937, though its pivotal chapter started after Germany's invasion of Poland in 1939. Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi Party and a German intelligence agent, arrived in Kraków looking to capitalize on the occupation. Utilizing Nazi policies that seized Jewish assets, he acquired an enamelware factory, initially driven purely by profit motives and the advantage of using inexpensive Jewish labor from the newly established Kraków Ghetto.
Schindler's early operations at DEF focused on producing utilitarian items like pots and pans, which quickly expanded into military supplies such as mess kits and ammunition shells. This shift was critical, as it allowed him to classify the factory as "essential to the war effort" (kriegswichtig). This official designation provided him the necessary leverage to protect his Jewish workforce from the horrors of deportation and extermination.
The factory's true role emerged during the liquidation of the Kraków Ghetto in 1943 and the subsequent establishment of the nearby Płaszów concentration camp, overseen by the notoriously brutal commandant Amon Göth. Witnessing the atrocities firsthand, Schindler underwent a profound moral transformation. He began using his charm, influence, and considerable wealth—derived from black market activities and bribery—to protect his employees.
By classifying his workers as indispensable specialists and bribing SS officials with luxury goods, he shielded them from the camp’s harshest conditions. He even secured permission to establish a sub-camp on Lipowa Street within the factory's premises, offering his workers better living conditions and food rations than those available at Płaszów. The factory became a fragile bubble of relative safety. As the Soviet army advanced in 1944, Schindler successfully petitioned to move his operations to Brünnlitz in the Sudetenland (modern-day Czech Republic), saving approximately 1,200 Jews from certain death in the extermination camps, thanks to the famous list compiled with the help of his accountant, Itzhak Stern.
Following the war, the factory was nationalized and used for decades to manufacture telecommunications equipment. Today, the building at Lipowa 4 has been transformed into a branch of the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków. It houses the permanent exhibition, "Kraków under Nazi Occupation 1939–1945," and various temporary exhibitions, making it far more than a museum about one man; rather, it is a tribute to the entire city's wartime experience.
The museum’s exhibition masterfully highlights the experiences of both Jewish and non-Jewish Krakow inhabitants, their daily lives, fears, and acts of bravery right before the war and during the Nazi occupation. It uses artifacts, photographs, and multimedia installations to recreate the atmosphere of occupied Kraków, guiding visitors chronologically through the city's descent into terror, the formation and liquidation of the Ghetto, and the eventual liberation. Visitors walk through recreated streets, ride an occupied tram, and see the actual administrative office where Schindler worked. The factory premises themselves serve as the powerful context for the narrative, allowing visitors to stand in the space where immense suffering met extraordinary human kindness.
The experience culminates in a poignant room featuring the names of the Schindlerjuden and a sculptural installation of enameled pots symbolizing the lives saved. The factory's ongoing importance lies in its ability to humanize the scale of the Holocaust, transforming abstract history into a deeply personal, tangible experience that serves as a perpetual reminder of the courage required to resist evil.
As you explore the original factory premises, you will learn how the war altered Kraków’s streets, communities, and cultural landscape.
The displays feature authentic photographs, personal items, documents, and recreations of wartime streets and interiors. The cramped, dimly lit spaces are intentionally designed to reflect the sense of oppression and confinement that characterized life under Nazi control.
Take your time as you contemplate the human narratives behind the history, ranging from daily survival to acts of resistance and kindness. Your experience at Schindler’s Factory offers a profound opportunity to engage with the memories of wartime Kraków.
