Kazimierz District

Local authorities and Jews are trying to revive a medieval district of Poland's southern city of Krakow to prevent Jewish culture from falling into oblivion.

The city hall of Krakow and Jewish organizations in Poland and abroad began working on plans some 15 years ago to renovate buildings and bring life back to Krakow's Kazimierz district, Polish Radio reported Thursday.

The World Jewish Relief Organization plans to build its center in the Kazimierz district.
To help tourists learn about Poland's Jewish history, the Krakow Galicia Museum is organizing exhibitions, concerts and lectures about Jewish life and culture and the Jewish genocide during World War II.

Most of the 60,000 Jews who lived in the Kazimierz district were killed by Nazi troops.
Now, 60 years later, Krakow's Jewish community is down to 150, the report said.

King Casimir the Great founed the Kazimierz district for Jews in 1335, granting them rights they could enjoy only in a few European countries.

British photographer Chris Schwarz, who helped create the Galicia museum, said it keeps Jewish culture alive, honors those killed and helps build bridges between Poles and Jews.