About this talk

By the end of the 1930s, the Jewish community of Kraków made up nearly 25% of the city's population. Like their neighbors, Jewish residents had hopes, dreams, ambitions, and plans for the future—dreams that were shattered by war and Nazi occupation.

The streets of the former Kraków Ghetto bear witness to the desperate struggle for survival and the destruction of what had once been a large and vibrant community.

Join us on this virtual tour to explore the most devastating chapter in Kraków's Jewish history. You'll walk through the former ghetto area and examine the events that led to the liquidation of the community. You'll also see the places depicted in Steven Spielberg's award-winning film Schindler's List and learn about the revival of Jewish life after the war and following the fall of Communism.

Since 1988, the annual Jewish Culture Festival has helped reintroduce Jewish culture to the city. Today, Kraków is experiencing a renewal of Jewish life: the local community is growing, young people are rediscovering their Jewish roots, a thriving JCC serves residents and visitors, and a Jewish preschool has recently opened.

About Olga

A native of Odessa, Olga Bokhonovskaya has spent many years living abroad. She earned her MBA in the United States and previously worked in international marketing in California, London, and Moscow.

In 2011, she transitioned to the tourism industry and founded the Odessa Walks tour agency in her hometown. During the pandemic, she began creating live-stream virtual programs in 2020, sharing Odessa's beauty and rich history with audiences around the world.

In September 2022, Olga relocated to Berlin and Kraków due to the war in Ukraine. While she continues to lead virtual tours of Odessa, she now also designs and conducts live, virtual, and in-person cultural and historical tours in Berlin, Kraków, and other destinations across Central and Eastern Europe.