Jewish Heritage – Warsaw Ghetto
The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of all the Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. It was established in the Muranów neighborhood of the Polish capital between October and November 16, 1940, part of the territory of the General Government of German-occupied Poland, with over 400,000 Jews from the vicinity residing in an area of 3.4 km2 (1.3 sq mi). From there, at least 254,000 Ghetto residents were sent to the Treblinka extermination camp over the course of two months in the summer of 1942.
During the tour we will try to find places that survived ghetto and city destruction. Dive with us into the history of unofficial capital of European Jewish community. Join us to discover what was left of those great days and to listen to stories waiting to be told of Warsaw Jewish heritage.
Quick Overview
The tour takes place in northern part of city downtown and partially through Wola district. It covers almost entire area of both small and big ghetto.
There is a lot of places to visit and to discover the history of. Some of them still exist, most however live only in a memory. Of the latter we are especially proud of sharing our knowledge with you. This is unforgettable and sentimental journey throught time to step into life of old Warsaw and its inhabitants.
Tour Details
- Points of Interest: 32 stops
- Duration: 3-3½ hours
- Availability: Mon-Sun, 9 am-8 pm
- Transportation: On foot
- Price: €15/person
Tour’s Main Attractions
UMSCHLAGPLATZ MONUMENT
The Umschlagplatz (German: collection point or reloading point) was a holding area set up by Nazi Germany adjacent to a railway station in occupied Poland, where the ghettoised Jews were being assembled for deportation to death camps during the ghetto liquidation. The Warsaw Umschlagplatz was created by fencing off a western part of the Warszawa Gdańska freight train station that was adjacent to the ghetto. The area was surrounded by a wooden fence, later replaced by a concrete wall.
Nożyk Synagogue
The Nożyk Synagogue is the only surviving prewar Jewish house of prayer in Warsaw, Poland. It was built in 1898-1902 and was restored after World War II. It is still operational and currently houses the Warsaw Jewish Commune, as well as other Jewish organizations. The synagogue was visited by, among others, Mosze Kacaw, the Israeli president, and by Ronald S. Lauder, sponsor of numerous initiatives aiming at reviving Jewish cultural and religious life in Poland.
The Ghetto Heroes Monument
The Ghetto Heroes Monument is a monument in Warsaw, Poland, commemorating the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 during the Second World War. It is located in the area which was formerly a part of the Warsaw Ghetto, at the spot where the first armed clash of the uprising took place. The monument was built partly of Nazi German materials originally brought to Warsaw in 1942 by Albert Speer for his planned works. The completed monument was formally unveiled in April 1948.
Museum of the History of Polish Jews
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews is a museum on the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto. The Hebrew word Polin in the museum’s name means, in English, either “Poland” or “rest here” and is related to a legend on the arrival of the first Jews in Poland. The museum features a multimedia narrative exhibition about the vibrant Jewish community that flourished in Poland for a thousand years up to the Holocaust. The building, a postmodern structure in glass, copper, and concrete, was designed by Finnish architects Rainer Mahlamäki and Ilmari Lahdelma.