The Kazimierz District Today

05/21/2012 11:32

This district, as I have mentioned in the past, was traditionally the Jewish quarter. After WWII and the concentration camps, the district was left pretty much empty, and soon became one of the poorer parts of town. When I was living in Kazimierz in the mid-1990s, the area was really run down, but not without its charm. Most of the buildings were in horrible shape, but there was something really cool about the neighborhood feel it had to it, with kids running around and laundry hanging out of windows. I really liked living there.

Once the Old Town got too touristy for students and Boheme-types, dirty old Kazimierz became a hangout for many young people, with quiet, dark and very cheap cafes. I used to hang out in one where I’m not even sure that there was any electricity. Everything was lit by candles, and people used to hang out and quietly play cards all afternoon. The cafe is still there, but it’s now cleaned up considerably. It’s called “Singer,” and has a sewing machine motif. I’m not sure, however, if there’s any connection with the Singer who founded the company.

Today, Kazimierz seems to have a perfect mixture; it’s got a lot going on, with different types of interesting people, cheap cafes, but still not too touristy, and just the right amount of dirty. There is a nice museum in an old synagogue, a couple of good restaurants (including the Ariel Café, where Steven Spielberg used to hang out when he was shooting “Shindler’s List. You can see it in the film), coffee bars, places to sit outside and have a beer, and two old and very interesting Jewish cemeteries. Kazimierz hosts a really fun Jewish music and culture festival in June. We’ll of course have to miss that, but there should still be some good stuff to do there anyway when we’re in town.

Here's a really nice cafe in Kazimierz. I'm sure that Marek and Ewa are amazed at the changes that have taken place here over the past decade. I remember this passage when I lived there in the 90s. It was very dirty and rundown. Now, it's so alive again. Ewa, isn't this part of a scene in "Schlinder's List"? I think it's where a group of people throw suitcases over the railing from above. In any case, it's so refreshing to see the area revitalized.