Aktion Krakau
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Aktion Krakau (Action Kraków) was a major german Nazi anti-Jewish operation in the area of Kraków, Poland, headed by SS-Oberführer Julian Scherner.
The sealed Jewish Ghetto at Przemysl had been implemented on July 14, 1942, with Jews being given 24 hours to enter the Ghetto. By the time the sealing took place the following day, 22,000-24,000 Jews occupied the Ghetto. On July 27, 1942, the Gestapo notified the Judenrat and posted notices that an 'action' ("resettlement") would soon be taking place in the Ghetto that would include almost all occupants. Exceptions were made for some essential and Gestapo workers who would have their papers stamped accordingly.
The roundup of Ghetto occupants took place over three separate days (July 27, July 31 and August 3, 1942) and was the combined effort of the Gestapo and GPK (Grenzpolizeikommissariat - Frontier Police Authority), who were unable to handle it alone. As a result, they secured the aid of "gendarmerie, one company of the regular German Police Battalion 307, "foreign Ethnic German" police (fremdvölkische Polizei), Estonian units of 287th and 288th Police Battalion (recruited from Omakaitse members), SS-units, civilian workers of several departments (especially the district authority), Polish and Ukrainian police and members of the Polish and Ukrainian Baudienst (construction service)." All of these agencies participated in the mass murder of the "evacuees". The operation was carried out by an officer under Scherner's command - SS-Hauptsturmführer Martin Fellenz. Thousands were murdered and thousands more were deported to Belzec extermination camp. After the Aktion had taken place, Jews in the Ghetto were requested to pay the transportation costs for the so-called 'evacuation'.
It was during this 'Action' however, that a mass rescue took place. On the first day (July 27, 1942), the local military commander (Major Max Liedtke, who was in charge of the Jewish workforce) requested through his adjutant Dr Albert Battel that all Jews working for the Wehrmacht be exempted from the evacuation regardless of whether they had work permits. Upon the refusal of his request by the Gestapo, he took decisive action and ordered his troops to seize the two bridges that connected the divided city and halt all traffic. The Gestapo were forced to contact Scherner's office and finally Liedtke received permission to retain those workers performing service for the Wehrmacht. On the third day of the evacuations, Scherner himself was present, ostensibly to ensure things ran smoothly and to secure order. For the actions undertaken by Liedtke and Battel, Yad Vashem later named them "Righteous Among the Nations".
