History of Kraków Steeped in history, Kraków is one of the largest and oldest cities in Poland. Originally a Stone Age settlement, Kraków was a busy trading centre dating back to 965 and in the 20th Century its establishment of universities helped it become well known as an academic city. This beautiful destination thrives as one of the country’s most important cultural centres and for centuries was the capital city. The start of World War II and the invasion of Poland saw Kraków become the capital of Germany’s General Government, with the Jewish citizens being sent to extermination camps via the Kraków Ghetto. This was one of five main ghetto’s created during this period and, surrounded by walls, this became the home for more than 15,000 Jews. This area was originally inhabited by only 3,000 people and meant that four families shared one apartment with all windows and doors facing the ‘Aryan side’ bricked up. After the war Kraków remained relatively intact, but under the new communist government it was transformed from an academic city into an industrial centre. The universities had lost many scholars to the concentration camps and they were now deprived of their printing rights. Lenin Steelworks built the country’s largest steelworks in a newly created suburb and attracted many workers which caused the population to expand rapidly. In 1978 Kraków was placed on the list of world heritage sites where it still stands today. In October of this same year, Karol Wojtyla the archbishop of Kraków became John Paul II and to date is the only known Polish Pope. He was the second longest documented pontificate and served for over 16 years until his death in May 2005. Credited with playing a major role in ending communism in Poland and then Europe, John Paul II is widely regarded as one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century. Today the citizens of Kraków celebrate their varied history and their website boasts that the city “represents a synthesis of all things Polish”. They prefer to focus on the artistic and academic sides to their history, which have regained in strength since the fall of Stalin’s regime, and boast of having over 800,000 residents.