Krakow’s Unwanted Capital. Architecture and Urban Planning During the German Occupation of Poland in 1939-1945

Krakow used to be the capital city of Poland, the home of kings, and thus a special place on the historic map of the country. Foreign tourists who visit the city discover its landmarks, cafés, picturesque streets, and places perfect for relaxation. But every place has its mysteries worth discovering. Krakow has a certain “unwanted” story in its chronicles, which has left its mark on the urban fabric…

September 1939 marked the beginning of a tragic chapter in the history of Krakow. A shameful and forgotten story which was meticulously omitted in discussions on art, urban planning, and architecture for many years.

In line with Adolf Hitler’s decision, Krakow was designated to be the capital of the General Government and considered one of the ancient Germanic cities. On 26 October 1939, Hans Frank was appointed general governor, and since that time, together with the city of Krakow, he reported directly to the Chancellor of the Third Reich. It was not an accident that Krakow was chosen to become the capital city of the General Government. The city met most of the requirements and perfectly aligned with Hitler’s ambitions to completely eliminate and destroy Polish culture. The period of adapting the urban fabric in housing and urban-planning terms to the needs of the German administration began. A convenient residence was arranged for Hans Frank and his family at the Wawel castle. The great “creation” of Krakow was to be launched in the summer of 1940, consisting of the plans to give the city a new urban character in the grand Nazi style, similar to other German cities.

The International Cultural Centre in Krakow has been grappling with numerous difficult issues in the sphere of urban planning and architecture since the very beginning of its operations.  One of such topics is the “unwanted” heritage of the Third Reich. The effect of these long-term efforts is the “Unwanted Capital…” exhibition. The exhibition shows how Krakow was to become the “Nuremberg of the East”, and makes the recipients aware of the burden of this undesirable and forgotten period in the history of the city.

It is an exhibition which can be heavy-going for the audience. It requires focus and engagement. The exhibition is dominated by urban plans and designs for the reconstruction of the city’s infrastructure. They are accompanied by extensive comments prepared by the curators. The exhibition has been centred around two narrative lines. The main layer entails archival materials, plans, photographs, historic and iconographic documentation, which were supplemented by additional materials and exhibits placed in special cabinets, forming the second layer. The whole exhibition is immersed in black colours and semi-darkness, which perfectly demonstrates the atmosphere of those unwanted times.

Moving through individual rooms, we discover further vital aspects of appropriating the urban fabric for propaganda purposes and the convenience of German officials and citizens.

The procedures were aimed at destroying Polish culture and national identity. The Germans began by getting rid of Polish intelligence elites, and after that, they liquidated institutions promoting culture and science. Hitler was aware that the success of Germanisation depended on wiping out all manifestations and representatives of the Polish intelligentsia.

The Germans quickly began working on new urban plans of Krakow, which were meant to take into account the future development of the eastern capital of the Third Reich. The most vital element was the layout of the official district of the General Government. Three urban planning concepts, showcased at the exhibition, were prepared. The first concept assumed the construction of the German governmental district at the continuation of the Focha Avenue axis, specifically on St. Bronisława Hill. An alternative city development plan was created in the summer of 1940 by Hubert Ritter. He proposed to construct the governmental district in Dębniki and Ludwinów. The plan failed to gain popularity from the very beginning. In 1941, decision-makers returned to the concept of the development near Błonia Park and Focha Avenue. After Ritter had left, the city plan called Gross Krakau was being prepared under the supervision of Georg Stahl. However, the plans were never implemented. The Germans only managed to complete their residential district at Królewska St., called Reichstrasse back then.  It was given the typical Third Reich style and is a perfect testimony of the time.

The Germanisation process in the sphere of architecture and urban planning was largely focused on the “reconstruction” and a peculiar “lifting” of the Krakow city centre, mainly with the use of the styles “appropriate” for the Third Reich, which included mostly Gothic and Renaissance. The Krakow Square was renamed Adolf Hitler Platz, which was to be surrounded by pedestrian arcades. A design was prepared to join the guardroom building with the Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) by building arcades. “Pod Baranami” Palace was also given a “new” look thanks to pedestrian arcades with lunettes which were added on both sides of the interior courtyard. The concept to add arcades to the historic urban fabric had a comprehensive nature. It was partly implemented at Grodzka St. leading towards Wawel and further at Krakowska St. The arcades were also built in the area of the Norberthines’ Monastery, at Księcia Józefa St.

Another significant interference in the old town area was the reconstruction of the “Feniks” Insurance Company building, which had been built between 1928 and 1932. It was a bold design by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, dazzling with a fully modern form, close to the art deco style. It is this exceptionally bold and modern form that made German invaders want to change that as soon as possible. The building’s façade overlooking the Main Square and the corner adjacent to Św. Jana St. were reconstructed. The building was visibly lowered and levelled with the neighbouring buildings, through the liquidation of a beautiful attic and the hiding of top storeys behind a mansard roof. The visitors can track the changes at the exhibition in Krakow.

At the time, the Collegium Maius building was adapted to cater for the needs of the Fur Deutsche Osterbeit Institute. The Institute dealt with the research into and confirmation of the German nature of the areas conquered by the Third Reich.

In 1939, Hans Frank began his term of office in Krakow. Documents confirming the plans and the changes introduced by the Germans are placed in the Archives of the Wawel Royal Castle. Since 1916, the chief conservation officer responsible for the castle was an outstanding Polish architect, Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz. Thanks to the approval from the Polish underground government, he could continue to serve in this function and work at a German architectural studio. This allowed him to supervise the construction of the General Governor’s office, located on site of the former royal kitchen premises. In addition, Szyszko-Bohusz managed the reconstruction of the Bernardyńska Gate which was to become more representative. The west wing of the former Austrian hospital was also rebuilt. The changes made at the Wawel Hill did not only serve the wish to adapt it to representative functions, but most of all to give it features which are typical of the Third Reich architecture. At the exhibition, we can see reconstruction plans, drawings, photographs and models which demonstrate the vast scale of these changes. The castle itself was also subject to multiple transformations. It was adapted to the role of a private residence for Hans Frank and his family. One of the most interesting things showcased at the exhibition is the design of a swimming pool which was created at the request of the General Governor’s wife at the eastern slope of the hill.

The facts concerning the fate of the New National Museum Building in Krakow are also surprising. Since the beginning of the occupation, it was obvious that the building would lose its museum character and would be transformed into a German house and a state casino.

The exhibition has also taken up the issue of changes introduced to the urban fabric resulting from Hitler’s concept of racial segregation. Krakow, as the capital of the General Government, was to be free of non-Aryan citizens. It was planned as a city for Germans. A plan was quickly prepared to divide Krakow into areas intended for Germans, Poles and the Jewish ghetto. Of course, some Jewish residents were forced to leave the city as early as 1940. The remaining fifteen thousand Jews were enclosed in the separate ghetto zone in March 1941. In addition, a labour camp – Płaszów – was established for them. The plan assumed that Polish nationals would be resettled to Podgórze after the extermination of the Jewish population.

Pieces of a stone sculpture of a gigantic Nazi eagle constitute one of the last exhibits located at the exit. They were found in Wawel gardens. Those small pieces of the sculpture show how frail and ephemeral power is. Every terror ends at some point in time.

Visiting the historic spots of Krakow and strolling through the charismatic old streets, it is worth remembering that the history of the city has its dark chapters. It is important that, with this awareness, we can better understand the phenomenon of the place, as not everything is as it seems at first sight, and for that reason, it is worth getting to know history, also from the “unwanted” side.

Unwanted capital. Architecture and Urban Planning during the German Occupation in 1939-1945 is open for visitors between 5 March and 5 June 2022 at the MCK Gallery at 25 Rynek Główny (Main Square) in Krakow.

The exhibition is accompanied by an extensive, interesting, and reader-friendly album with essays and photographs, and it is the first publication of this type to discuss the subject thoroughly.

Written by Julita Deluga

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“Unwanted Capital: Architecture and Urban Planning in Kraków during the German Occupation of 1939–1945” 

5.03-5.06.2022

International Cultural Centre

Rynek Główny 25

31-008 Kraków

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