The chosen few: The Jews of Cracow

Street in old town of Cracow (© Lars K Jensen)

In the first of a two-part series on Europe’s Jewish population, Jonathan Groubert reports on the situation in Poland. Before the Holocaust, 3.5 million Jews lived in Poland. Now there are just around 5000. But ever since Stephen Spielberg’s film’s “Schindler’s List”, there’s been talk of a revival in Kazimierz, home to Poland’s tiny, but struggling Jewish community in the city of Cracow. 

But is this revival merely the commercialisation of a Jewish tragedy or a genuine Jewish renaissance? And if it is a rebirth, will Poland’s anti-Semites let it happen? Jonathan Groubert looks at the present and possible future of Poland’s last remaining Jewish community in “The Chosen Few”. 

Producer: Jonathan Groubert

Broadcast: November 15, 2000