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28-689: Symcha Spira (also: Symche Spira, Symche Spiro, or Symche Shapiro) was the Chief of the Kraków OD. Tadeusz Pankiewicz said that before the war Spira was an Orthodox Jew who wore a full beard and a long black capote. By the time he became head of the OD, he was clean shaven and wore a tailored uniform bearing many official looking insignias. Unlike the Kraków Judenrat, the Kraków OD were extremely unpopular under Spira's leadership. In part because of Spira's sycophantic qualities,

56-626: A commander of the Kraków Ghetto Jewish Police , at the recommendation of the German forces. After taking this role his appearance would change, adopting the police uniform in place of religious wear and removing his beard entirely. One power that Spira's proximity to the SS gave, was his ability to facilitate bribes for work identification cards on behalf of the residents of the ghetto. The ghetto residents came to distrust him, believing that he

84-502: Is not to be confused with the similar evacuation of Przemyśl Jews from deportation to Bełżec. The liquidation of Przemyśl Ghetto took place on July 27, July 31 and August 3, 1942. The operation was directed by SS- Hauptsturmführer Martin Fellenz. On 27 July 1942, the military commander of Przemyśl , Max Liedtke , ordered his troops to seize the bridge across the San River that connected

112-743: The Deutsche Emaillewaren-Fabrik (DEF) owned by the Sudeten German industrialist and war profiteer Oskar Schindler . Tipped off to the factory closure, Schindler persuaded the SS officials to allow him to move his 1,200 Jewish workers from the Kraków Ghetto to the Brünnlitz labor camp in Brněnec , Czech Protectorate , thus sparing them from deportation to death camps . Schindler's factory relocation

140-671: The liquidation of the Krakow ghetto, the Krakow Jews Police and Judenrat were deported to Płaszów . Spira was arrested alongside the other members of the OD, but was released for a short period at the request of the Gestapo. He was rearrested in December 1943, and was executed in 1944 on the orders of Amon Göth . Spira's actions were included in Thomas Keneally's book Schindler's Ark ,

168-477: The German and Polish Blue Police in rounding up Jews. The OD entered houses and apartments at night, taking those selected for removal under cover of darkness. Jews who could not present a work permit or proof of employment were held in the courtyard of the OD building, which had formerly been a Catholic orphanage. The gathered Jews were transported the next morning by railroad car to Bełżec extermination camp . One of

196-519: The German authorities. This participation made OD members the targets of retaliatory actions from both the Underground and German authorities. Symcha Spira took advantage of the German authorities' poor view of the Judenrat, and sought to convince Gestapo agents of his superior power and influence over fellow Jews. This included carrying out orders the Judenrat would not. He and other OD men passed bribes to

224-415: The Gestapo, winning favors and privileges in return. The Gestapo promised OD members safety after the war's end, forging foreign papers for many of the men. Some of the OD men were also given visas for travel to other countries, which they attempted to use as conditions in the ghetto worsened. The OD were also in charge of recording and preparing lists of Jews in the ghetto for deportation. They also assisted

252-668: The Ghetto. At the beginning of 1942, the entire Jewish population of Greater Kraków (including 29 surrounding villages) was forced to move into the same Ghetto with each person granted 4 cubic meters (140 cu ft) of space. On 1 June 1942 the ghetto was surrounded by German police and SS. To conceal the purpose of the "Aktion" and calm the Jewish population, the SD and SiPo officers – among them SS- Obersturmbannführer Willi Haase, SS- Obersturmführer Becher, and SS- Hauptscharführer Heinrich – told

280-553: The Jews of a " resettlement " program. Jews who worked in German factories were permitted to remain, while the first transport of 7,000 Jews was assembled on Zgody Square and escorted to the railway station in Prokocim . On 5 June 1942, an additional 4,000 Jews were deported to Bełżec extermination camp in a similar way. On 13 March and 14 March 1943, the Nazis carried out the final 'liquidation' of

308-511: The Kraków OD collaborated with Nazi officials and local police to a greater degree than other ghettos. The Civil Division of the OD in particular worked closely with the Gestapo . Spira spoke German and Polish poorly. Before the war, he worked as a glazier, making very little money. He was chosen for the position for his extreme loyalty to the Germans, as well as for his derision of his fellow Jews. Spira

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336-556: The OD and all remaining Jews were deported to Płaszów and murdered, including the notorious Symcha Spira and his family, who were executed. Symcha Spira Symcha Spira (? – 1944), also known as Symche Spira , served as the head of the Krakow ghetto Jewish police during the Holocaust . According to survivors' testimony, before World War II Spira was an impoverished glazier and carpenter who practiced Orthodox Judaism . He

364-413: The OD occasionally intervened, bribing officials when family members or friends were selected for deportation. Sometimes this was successful, but other times, even Spira's interventions could not spare everyone. In March 1943, the ghetto was completely liquidated. Those who remained were sent to Plaszów or Auschwitz , or were murdered on site. The Kraków OD were initially exempted from deportation. After

392-619: The basis of the film Schindler's List . Operation Reinhard in Krak%C3%B3w Operation Reinhard in Kraków , often referred to by its original codename in German as Aktion Krakau , was a major 1942 German Nazi operation against the Jews of Kraków , Poland . It was headed by SS and Police Leader Julian Scherner from the Waffen-SS . The roundup was part of the countrywide Aktion Reinhard (Operation Reinhard),

420-612: The divided city of Przemyśl, and halt the evacuation. The Gestapo was forced to give him permission to retain workers performing service for the Wehrmacht . For the actions undertaken by Liedtke and his adjutant Albert Battel in Przemyśl, Yad Vashem later named them " Righteous Among the Nations ". After the Aktion had taken place, Jews in the Ghetto were requested to pay the transportation costs for

448-625: The duties of most Jewish Police forces revolved around the implementation of German orders. This involved keeping streets clear and addressing crime within the ghetto. Later, many Jewish Police forces would shift to assisting German authorities in rounding up Jews for labor, deportation, and extermination. The Kraków OD often went above and beyond German orders, defying the Judenrat, and arrested Jews who smuggled in food. Extortion, bribery, and physical violence were used by Jewish Police, who recovered food and smuggled items for their own families. The Kraków OD were unsympathetic to resistance movements within

476-428: The force. The creation of the OD was initially suggested as originating from the Judenrat, in the hope of presenting treatment of the ghetto inhabitants as a Jewish issue. Spira refused to follow the direction of the Judenrat, instead deferring to SS and Gestapo orders. Members of the Judenrat expressed frustration at the actions of the OD, claiming they did not have the interests of fellow Jews in mind. In general,

504-502: The ghetto under the command of SS - Hauptsturmführer Amon Göth . Those deemed able to work were transported to the Płaszów concentration camp . Some 2,000 Jews unable to move or attempting to run were killed in the streets and in their homes. The captives were sent to Auschwitz . As noted by historians Ernst Klee, Willi Dressen and Volker Riess, the German police from the office of Grenz Polizeikommissariat were quite eager to take part in

532-449: The ghetto, and would arrest suspected members of the Jewish underground without hesitation. The Jewish Police also helped to track, arrest and kill partisans alongside the Gestapo. Underground movements constantly targeted OD members, who feared being accused of collaborating with resisters. The OD patrolled the ghetto carefully, searching for resistance hideouts, which they would then report to

560-493: The largest deportations of residents began on May 30, 1942 and lasted until June 8th. This was part of the larger Operation Reinhardt occurring across occupied Poland . Approximately 5,000 Jews without work permits or proper identification were taken via train to Belżec . During this aktion, members of the OD worked alongside German and Polish Blue Police , throwing away luggage, inspecting papers, and beating those who did not comply with orders. During subsequent deportations,

588-463: The liquidation of the ghetto, the Jewish Police assisted in cleanup and the processing of items left behind by those deported. They also assisted in moving the bodies of those murdered in the ghetto. Many, including Spira, believed Nazi promises that they would be given their freedom and would be allowed to travel to America or another country after the war. Not long after the liquidation of the ghetto,

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616-486: The mass murder of Polish Jews in the so-called General Government under the command of SS und Polizeiführer Odilo Globočnik . Beginning in 1941, all Jewish inhabitants of Kraków were ordered to relocate into Kraków Ghetto , the newly established ghetto situated in the Podgórze district, away from the predominantly Jewish district of Kazimierz . A German Labour Office ( Arbeitsamt ) was set up for those employed outside

644-507: The murdering of Jews in and around Kraków, in anticipation of considerable material gains. Members of the Grenzpolizeikommissariat were, with a few exceptions, quite happy to take part in shootings of Jews. They had a ball! Obviously they can't say that today! Nobody failed to turn up... I want to repeat that people today give a false impression when they say that the actions against the Jews were carried out unwillingly. There

672-590: Was a Gestapo collaborator and giving him the nickname "SS," after the Nazi force . Many have even gone as far to accuse him of megalomania and using his position to enrich himself. In 1942 an orphanage was established in the ghetto, which also acted as a daycare . This building was placed under the jurisdiction of Spira. He held religious services there for the High Holy Days . Several people, both Jews and ethnic Poles , joined his police force in 1942. After

700-471: Was also a prison in the same building, where Jewish prisoners were kept, before being transferred to Montelupiсh prison , before being deported to Auschwitz, or just before being shot. Members joined in the hope of being spared punishment from Nazi officials, as well as to leverage additional favors. Many Jews who had joined in the hopes of protecting their community, like some on the Judenrat, quickly resigned when faced with rampant corruption and violence within

728-428: Was great hatred against the Jews; it was revenge, and they wanted money and gold. Don't let's kid ourselves, there was always something up for grabs during the Jewish actions. Everywhere you went there was always something for the taking. The poor Jews were brought in, the rich Jews were fetched and their homes were scoured. The majority of Jews who survived the 1942–43 Ghetto liquidation programme in Kraków, came from

756-583: Was known to wear a full beard and kapoteh . In the early days of the Krakow ghetto , Spira served as a low level clerk for the Judenrat . In the summer of 1940 the Jüdischer Ordnungsdienst (OD) of Krakow was established, and Spira filed for a transfer. While serving there he quickly found favor in the eyes of the Germans, despite being near illiterate and having difficulty communicating in both German and Polish . After his transfer, he became

784-494: Was known to wear outlandish, tailored uniforms while patrolling the ghetto. He beat and extorted the ghetto's inhabitants, becoming very wealthy under Nazi occupation. The Kraków Ghetto OD was created in July 1940, with a force of around 40 men. This number quickly grew, and in December 1940, the force had expanded to an estimated 130 men. The OD police headquarters were located at Jozefinska street 17, not far from Plac Zgody square. There

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