How many Jews live in Kraków today?

For many people coming to Kraków, the city is associated with Jewishness. Today, many people visiting the city wonder how many Jews still live in Kraków and what role they play in the city’s cultural and social life. Do Jews live in Kraków? Are there Jews in Kraków? What is their number? Based on the latest 2021 Polish National Census (Spis Powszechny), we will explore the current Jewish population in Kraków.

Is there a jewish population in Kraków today?

According to data from the National Census of Population and Housing (Narodowy Spis Powszechny Ludności i Mieszkań), in 2011, 430 people declared affiliation with the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland. According to Poland’s next National Population and Housing Census in 2021, The Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland had 1,704 members. It is evident, therefore, that the number of Jews in Poland is increasing.

In the entire Małopolskie Voivodeship, where Kraków is located, officially consists of 745 individuals who identified themselves as Jewish. However, this number does not necessarily reflect the entire Jewish population, as some people may choose not to disclose their religious identity in official surveys.

The Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland (Związek Gmin Wyznaniowych Żydowskich w RP) reported 1,704 registered members in 2021, spread across different cities, including Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, and Łódź. Since Kraków has one of the most active Jewish communities in Poland, a significant portion of this population resides in the city.

While official statistics provide a modest estimate, Jewish community leaders and cultural organizations suggest that the actual number of Jews in Kraków could be a little higher.

Historical decline of population

Before World War II, Kraków was home to about 60,000 Polish citizens of Jewish faith. The Jewish community was concentrated in Kazimierz, a district that had been a Jewish quarter since the 15th century. Today, it is a party district full of cafes and restaurants.

During the Holocaust, most of Kraków’s Jewish population was murdered by the Nazis, primarily in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. The Kraków Ghetto, established in 1941, became a site of immense suffering, with only a few thousand Jews surviving the war.
After World War II, a small number of Jewish survivors returned to Kraków, but many emigrated over the years

How many Jews live in Kraków Today? Conclusion

Based on the latest census data, Kraków’s Jewish population remains small. The official number of Jews in the Małopolskie region is 745, though estimates suggest a larger, unregistered Jewish presence in the city.

Kraków will never regain its pre-war Jewish population but the revival of Jewish culture, religious life, and historical preservation ensures that the Jewish legacy of Kraków remains an essential part of the city’s identity.

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