68 Empty Chairs

The last selection of Krakow Jews took place in Zgody Square during the liquidation of the Ghetto on 14 March 1943.  Hundreds of older people and children were murdered and hundreds of women, men, and older children were sent to Auschwitz.

On 30 July 1948, by a special resolution of the Krakow City Council, the name of square was changed to Bohaterow Getta (Heroes of the Ghetto) to commemorate the murdered Jews.

The square was neglected until December 2005 when Krakow architects Piotr Lewicki and Kazimierz Latak reconstructed the square and placed in cement 70 oversized metal chairs to represent the furniture and other remnants of life the deported Jews left behind and the square now is a stark reminder of the tragic fate of Krakow’s Jews.

Atmosphere is everything.