Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory

Kraków, Małopolskie, Poland

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Oskar Schindler's Enamel Factory in Kraków, Poland, was originally established in 1937 by three Jewish entrepreneurs before being taken over by Oskar Schindler in late 1939 during the Nazi occupation. Schindler, a member of the Nazi Party and intelligence agent, renamed it Deutsche Emailwarenfabrik (DEF) and produced both civilian enamelware and military supplies such as ammunition, which helped classify the factory as essential to the war effort.

Schindler employed a growing number of Jewish workers over the years, ultimately employing around 1,100 by 1944. By creating a subcamp of the Płaszów forced labor camp on the factory premises, he protected his Jewish workers from direct exposure to camp guards and harsher conditions. His efforts, including bribery and leveraging contacts, helped save these workers from deportation to concentration camps.

After the war, Schindler even moved the factory to the Czech Republic, rescuing over 1,100 people in total. Today, the factory serves as a museum showcasing Kraków under Nazi occupation and Schindler's story of humanitarian courage during the Holocaust.