Lodz, Poland, Baluty district, former Litzmannstadt Ghetto, Broken Heart Memorial built in memory of Polish children, the prisoners of the only one concentration camp for Polish children only. The prison officially named (in German): Polen-Jugendverwahrlager der Sicherheitspolizei in Litzmannstadt was actually small concentration camp for young Poles (2 years old kids and teenagers) was opened in November 1942 at Przemysłowa Street inside the Litzmannstadt Ghetto, just nearby the Kirkut - Jewish cemetery. The KL had a 3 meters high barbed wire fence, wooden watchtowers, blockhouses, main square, internal prison and the house of tortures. The food rations were lower than in the other concentration camps. The statue was built at the other end of the camp. There is an inscription in the fron of the monument - “They taken your lives. Today we can offer you only memory”. The surroundings areas (also former Litzmannstadt Ghetto) were changed to the park.
Downtown of Lodz, the junction of Piotrkowska Street (looking straight) and Tuwima Street (looking right), The House of the Shoe (Dom Buta), an old - 19th century - shopping centre. Nowadays left empty (due to the modern ones in the vicinity). I couldn’t find the proper information about history of that building. The only information I know is that building was owned by the trader Schimmel (I have no information about his nationality).
And now for something completely different…. toilets in the row :) Lodz, Poland, camera: Samsung GX10, HDR BW.
This is another photo taken in the area of Litzmannstadt Ghetto, however the building that is shown is a modern one and the graffiti (or mural) is a typical example of one of the biggest Polish taboos, anti-Semitism. It is the real Irony of Fate that Baluty district of Lodz - former Litzmannstadt Ghetto - haven’t changed from the 2nd World War and seems to be ghetto even now. There is only one big difference - the population, in some places - the lowest part of the society. The Irony of Fate - walls of Baluty and entire city is spotted with David’s Stars - the symbol of Jew, and the “Jew” is the offence among many Poles, especially the football supporters of two football clubs in the city. However, the anti-Semitism is not limited to the hooligans and the troublemakers (some parts of the old Baluty and Lodz are full of them). Nationwide Catholic radio station - Radio Maryja (donated by the state and the church) officially broadcasts anti-Semitic ideology. The pogroms during the war and after, 1968 (when the communist regime forced the rest of the Jewish population to leave Poland), are the taboo, the scar on the picture of Polish nation - The Christ of the nations, as we used to call ourselves. Did you know, that in Lodz we have a special fair called “Coloured tolerance” which is the big action of painting out the anti-Semitic murals, but every year there is almost the same number of the murals to be painted out. I am really ashamed.
