Up until February 24 Krakow was busily readying itself for the masses who would once again frolic in this central European Disneyland of affordable beer, delicious food and all-night parties. Prior to the pandemic Poland’s second city had enjoyed a decade of unrestrained tourism growth, going head to head with the likes of Prague and Budapest for the medieval-jewel-of-Europe crown. Eager to get back to business, the Polish government announced the removal of mask mandates and other travel restrictions from March, hoping visitors would flood back to its bars, restaurants and clubs after two years of eerie, soul-crushing quiet.
On February 24 priorities instantly changed. From the earliest hours of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Krakovians sprang into action, organising ad hoc caravans of minivans and Skoda station wagons to ferry supplies and people. The mobilisation was immediate and impressive. In the first 76 hours alone Krakovians donated more than 40 tonnes of medical supplies, food and clothing and sent three packed tractor trailers to its partner city of Lviv 200 miles to the east.
As March arrived those caravans of vehicles gave way to cascades of daily trains going the other way, as Krakow’s central station became the main arrival point for the bulk of Ukrainian refugees seeking sanctuary in Poland and beyond. The same station that only a few years ago had welcomed thousands of daily backpackers, bumbag-wielding families and stylish European city-breakers was transformed almost overnight into a 24/7 refugee welcome centre and makeshift shelter.
For the past few weeks it has been the focal point of Krakovian support and volunteers still swarm the platforms to meet every wave of incoming trains and work around the clock to help all refugees find food, shelter and forward transit.
Outside the station you might be deceived if you wander the ancient streets of the old town as you will likely see precious few signs that Krakovians are housing, hosting, clothing and feeding more than 130,000 Ukrainian refugees. If you go for a stroll around the Rynek — Europe’s largest medieval market square – and you pass by the 14th-century Palace Under the Rams, you’d probably have no idea that an entire floor of this illustrious building has been converted into a kindergarten for Ukrainian children, staffed almost entirely by refugee teachers.
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There are many examples all over the city of public and private spaces being transformed into impromptu facilities to house those displaced by the war, although most remain well hidden and invisible to passers-by. The city’s first shopping mall, which had been earmarked for demolition, was repurposed as a refugee housing and daycare facility, with an entire department store of donated clothing sorted on elegant racks (think a free TK Maxx). This gives refugees the much-needed time and space to find not just what they need but also what they like, helping to restore some dignity to the desperate.
And when it comes to Krakovians ourselves, we are the type of hosts that always pull out a bottle of the good stuff for unexpected guests, especially if language barriers are involved. The city’s famed artistic community has banded together to organise dozens of nightly fundraising events, from concerts, plays and poetry readings to puppet shows (I’m organising my second charity gig on April 7 if you’re in town).
Fundraisers, though, are just the beginning. Krakow has a long history of accepting and protecting artists, academics and any persecuted peoples in times of conflict. In spite of all the wars that have ravaged this part of the world in the past millennium, this remarkable city has survived largely unscathed. So protecting and providing for those who seek shelter within its metaphorical walls is written into the fabric of its soul.
So while conventional travel to Krakow at the moment may not be possible, I’d still encourage anyone and everyone to consider a visit this summer. You’ll be the recipient of both Polish and Ukrainian hospitality, and the cross-pollination of Polish and Ukrainian culture, music, art, cinema and cuisine will be exciting to watch, hear and feel up close. If you do come, I’d urge you to book a hotel, as almost all Airbnbs in town have been offered to refugees for the foreseeable future. Whatever funds and assistance you are able to bring, you can be confident it will go directly to helping those desperate people in this beautiful medieval city begin to rebuild their lives.
Thymn Chase is an American journalist and musician who’s lived in Poland for 18 years
