World War II and Jewish Wrocław

Duration: 2h
Languages: English, Spanish
Quality Verified Registered on July 05, 2017

We are Walkative! Our goal is to promote our cities across Poland, Germany, France, Ukraine and Israel and cooperate in promoting our partners across all of Europe - no matter what your budget is! Since 2007 we have guided more than 3 million people. We provide tours in English, Spanish, Polish and German mostly.

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  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free

Tour description

Wrocław is situated right at the heart of Europe. Throughout centuries, it stood as a prominent hub of Jewish life within Central Europe. Collaborating with Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, the Jewish community contributed to the prosperity of one of the most affluent cities in the German Empire. Despite being expelled during the Middle Ages, they later returned, and during the 19th century, Wrocław emerged as a central bastion of Haskalah, the Jewish Enlightenment movement that left an indelible mark on Judaism. The legacy of Wrocław's generations of rabbis is indispensable for understanding the evolution of modern Judaism.

This vibrant and diverse world encountered an abrupt halt during the 1930s with the rise of the Nazi regime. Subjected to humiliation and persecution, the Jewish population of Wrocław found themselves sharing the tragic fate of other European Jews, falling victim to the Holocaust orchestrated by the Germans and their collaborators. However, the tides of war eventually shifted, and in 1945, the Third Reich crumbled before the relentless advance of the Red Army. Adolf Hitler mandated Wrocław to be transformed into a "Festung" – a fortress intended to safeguard the vision of a thousand-year Reich, even if it meant the last ounce of blood and the final bullet. Consequently, the city turned into the backdrop for one of the most intense urban battles of World War II, ultimately succumbing to the Allies even after the fall of Berlin itself.

We invite you to delve into the historical and contemporary Jewish narrative of Wrocław, as well as the city's devastating experiences during the conclusion of World War II. Embark on a journey through the captivating heart of the city – the district of four denominations. Uncover a space where the profound and captivating history of Wrocław unfolds, alongside witnessing the resurgence of culture and the transformations that have transpired over the past two decades.

ℹ️ ⚠️ ATTENTION - booking rules

Please note that our free tours are designed for individual travelers and small private groups only. Hence, we do not accept parties of 8 or more people on regular free tours and guides have the right to deny participation to such groups. If you travel in a party of 8 or more please book a private tour in advance.


If you show up at the meeting point with the bigger group our guide will ask you for the payment (10 eur/person) before the tour or cancel your reservation on the spot. To confirm your reservation please arrive 10 minutes before starting. We can not guarantee participation when you will be late.                                  

Please note that multiply bookings (under different names) for 7 people who belong to one group will still be treated as one organized group and the guide has the right to deny participation to such parties.

This policy is implied in the best interest of our individual visitors. 

Please respect our rules.     

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  • Meeting point:
    Rynek, 50-116 Wrocław, Poland
    Rynek, 50-116 Wrocław, Poland
    View on map

    Next to Aleksander Fredro statue, close to entrance to the Town Hall Clock Tower. The guide has a yellow umbrella.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

90 ratings
4.6
By category
Professionalism
4.73
Fun
4.33
Expression
4.56
Quality
4.6
Route
4.48
Generic
5 stars
72
4 stars
8
3 stars
3
2 stars
2
1 star
5
Andy 21 Sep 2023
Leicester

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Sep 2023
Choose the Wroclaw city tour, interesting and informative. Avoid the ww2 tour.
Gisela 16 Sep 2023
Goslar

Verified booking
Travelled in group - Sep 2023
Sehr informativ, interessante Details, Geschichte gut vermittelt, Tour sehr zu empfehlen
Silvio 26 Aug 2023
La Loggia

Verified booking
Travelled alone - Aug 2023
Todo bien
Nathalie 26 Aug 2023
Berlin

Verified booking
Travelled in group - Aug 2023
Shimon was a great guide. He was very nice and professional and tried to answer every question. We learned so much about jewish history in Wrocław from 1200 to today. We got beautiful insights into the city-history through his knowledge but also his sidenotes. Sometimes he talked a bit fast, which was fun but also a bit hard to follow ;) Thank you for this tour!
Mads Ndlovu 19 Aug 2023
Frederiksberg

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - Aug 2023
We are very disappointed ☹️ after we took this tour today (19/8-23) The tour description mentions a lot about Festung Breslau which is why we took the tour, but it was almost not mentioned in the tour. We didn't see any af the places of the battle, or other significant places related to the Festung Breslau or the battle in the last days of the war. And we almost didn't get spoken information of the topic as well. Very very disappointing trip☹️☹️
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Accepts reservations up to 7 people.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 5 people is required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
When do you want to go?
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