Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Auschwitz

A legend attributes Kraków's founding to the mythical ruler Krakus, who built it above a cave occupied by a dragon, Smok Wawelski. The first written record dates to 965, when Kraków was described as a notable commercial center captured by a Bohemian duke Boleslaus I in 955. The first ruler of Poland, Mieszko I, took Kraków from the Bohemians. In 1038, Kraków became the seat of the Polish government. By the end of the 10th century, the city was a center of trade. Brick buildings were constructed, including the Royal Wawel Castle. The city was sacked and burned during the Mongol invasion of 1241. It was rebuilt and incorporated in 1257 by Bolesław V the Chaste who introduced city rights. In 1259, the city was again ravaged by the Mongols. The third attack in 1287 was repelled thanks in part to the newly built fortifications. The city rose to prominence in 1364, when Casimir III founded the University of Kraków, the second oldest university in central Europe. But after Casimir´s death in 1370 the campus did not get completed. As the capital of the Kingdom of Poland and a member of the Hanseatic League, the city attracted craftsmen from abroad, guilds as science and the arts began to flourish. The 15th and 16th centuries are known as Poland's "Złoty Wiek" (Golden Age). After childless King Sigismund II had died in 1572, the Polish throne passed to Henry III of France and then to other foreign-based rulers in rapid succession, causing a decline in the city's importance that was worsened by pillaging during the Swedish invasion and by an outbreak of bubonic plague that left 20,000 of the city's residents dead. In 1596, Sigismund III of the House of Vasa moved the capital of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from Kraków to Warsaw. - Before WWII, Kraków was home to more than 60.000 Polish Jews. Persecution of the Jewish population of Kraków began immediately after the German troops entered the city in September 1939. Jews were ordered to report for forced labor, in November 1939 all Jews twelve years or older were required to wear identifying armbands. The Kraków Ghetto was formally established on 3 March 1941 in the Podgórze district. It was established for the purpose of exploitation, terror, and persecution of local Jews. 15,000 Jews were crammed into an area previously inhabited by 3,000 people who used to live in a district consisting of 320 residential buildings, and 3,167 rooms. As a result, one apartment was allocated to every four Jewish families,. The Ghetto was surrounded by the newly built walls that kept it separated from the rest of the city. All windows and doors that opened onto the "Aryan" side were ordered to be bricked up. From May 1942 onward, the Nazis began deportations from the Ghetto to surrounding concentration camps. The first transport consisted of 7,000 people. In March 1943, the final 'liquidation' of the ghetto was carried out. Two thousand Jews deemed able to work were transported to the Płaszów labor camp. Those deemed unfit for work were killed in the streets of the ghetto on those days. The remaining 3,000 were sent to Auschwitz. The Plac Bohaterow Getta (Ghetto Heroes' Square) in Kraków's Podgórze district played a tragic role in the extermination of the Jews. This square in the center of the ghetto was the last stop for the inhabitants before they were sent to the concentration and extermination camps as this is where the roll calls and selections took place, this is where the Krakow Jews were rounded up for deportation. Now here are 60 empty, iron chairs. The Jewish Population of Krakow once numbered 60,000, so one chair represents 1000 murdered.

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings, in 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . St. Roch's Church The church was built on the initiative of the local provost, who in 1926 announced a competition for the design of the "Divine Providence Temple in Bialystok". More than Seventy entries were sent, with the design of Oskar Sosnowski finally winning. The church is planned as an octahedron, with three masses set on one another. After Sosnowski´s death, during the German siege of Warsaw), the construction was continued by Stanislaw Bukowski. During the Soviet occupation of eastern Poland during WW II the Soviet authorities planned to open a circus in the unfinished building. The church has an impressive, 83-meter tower. On the top, there is a 3-meter figure of Mary,

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings In 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . St. Roch's Church The church was built on the initiative of the local provost, who in 1926 announced a competition for the design of the "Divine Providence Temple in Bialystok". More than Seventy entries were sent, with the design of Oskar Sosnowski finally winning. The church is planned as an octahedron, with three masses set on one another. After Sosnowski´s death, during the German siege of Warsaw), the construction was continued by Stanislaw Bukowski. During the Soviet occupation of eastern Poland during WW II, the Soviet authorities planned to open a circus in the unfinished building. The church has an impressive, 83-meter tower. On the top, there is a 3-meter figure of Mary,

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings Iin 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . The old town (the cathedral towers are on the left) is surrounded by large apartment blocks built after WWII.

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings. In 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is 90 meters long and can accommodate 9,500 worshippers. The two towers reach a height of 72.5 meters. It is the main church of the Archdiocese of Bialystok and was given the status of a basilica (basílica) in 1985. The predecessor of the present cathedral was a Renaissance church built between 1617 and 1626. In the late 19th century, the number of parishioners had grown to 12,000 people, while the old church only had room for 1,000 worshippers. In Tsarist Russia, Catholics were not allowed to build a new church. However, permission was granted to extend the old parish church. In 1900, construction began on a neo-Gothic church next to the old one. The church was consecrated in 1905.

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings Iin 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . The Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is 90 meters long and can accommodate 9,500 worshippers. The two towers reach a height of 72.5 meters. It is the main church of the Archdiocese of Bialystok and was given the status of a basilica (basílica) in 1985. The predecessor of the present cathedral was a Renaissance church built between 1617 and 1626, which is seen to the left. In the late 19th century, the number of parishioners had grown to 12,000 people, while the old church only had room for 1,000 worshippers. In Tsarist Russia, Catholics were not allowed to build a new church. However, permission was granted to extend the old parish church. In 1900, construction began on a neo-Gothic church next to the old one. The church was consecrated in 1905.

Around 1437 a member of the Raczków family received a wilderness area along the river Biała from Michael Žygimantaitis, pretender to the throne of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the last male descendant of Sigismund Kęstutaitis. From 1665 it belonged to the Branicki family, who developed it into a residential town. At the instigation of Stefan Branicki, Białystok received its town charter in 1692. In the first half of the 18th century, Jan Klemens Branicki transformed the palace built by his father into a magnificent residence, which was frequently visited by Polish kings Iin 1748, one of the oldest theaters in Poland, the "Komedialnia", was founded here. In 1770, under the auspices of Jan Klemens Branicki´s wife Izabella Poniatowska, a midwifery school was founded, based on which the Institute of Obstetrics was established in 1805. Białystok came under Prussian rule in 1796 and in 1807 after the Peace of Tilsit fell to Russia. This circumstance and the establishment of a customs border between Congress Poland and Russia in 1831 ensured a boom for the city, as companies from Poland moved their headquarters to the now Russian Białystok to continue producing for the Russian army. The opening of the Warsaw-Petersburg railway, which ran through Białystok, turned the city into an industrial center. In 1900, 63% of the inhabitants were Jews, so the city also developed as a significant Jewish center. During WWI a German air raid took place in April 1915, which resulted in 13 dead. Heavy damage was caused by Russian troops when they retreated from the advancing Germans in August 1915. Białystok remained under German control until February 1919. At the beginning of WWII, the city was taken by German troops but, according to the secret agreement in the German-Soviet non-aggression pact, it was handed over to the troops of the Soviet Union. In the course of the German attack on the Soviet Union in 1941, Białystok was again occupied by the Wehrmacht. In June 1941, the German police burned down the Great Synagogue of Białystok, into which they had previously herded hundreds of Jews. The new rulers established the Białystok ghetto here. Most of the approximately 43-60 thousand Jewish inhabitants at that time were taken to the extermination camps Treblinka and Auschwitz and murdered there. . The central square with the town hall on the right and the cathedral in the background