Before Operation Reinhard

Kraśnik is located about 50 kilometers southwest of Lublin, on the Wyżyna Lubelska uplands, near the Wyżnica River. Before World War II, it was a lively market town with around 17,000 inhabitants, including more than 5,000 Jews—about one-third of the population. The Jewish community maintained synagogues, schools, and charities, forming an important part of local trade and crafts.

The German army occupied Kraśnik on September 15, 1939. Soon after, Jews were humiliated, synagogues desecrated, and hostages taken to intimidate the town. By 1940, hundreds of Jewish refugees from Łódź, Kraków, and other cities had arrived, bringing the number of Jews to over 6,000. The Germans established a Judenrat [Jewish Council] and forced the population into a ghetto centered around Bóżniczna, Szkolna, and Ogrodowa Streets.

During Operation Reinhard

In April 1942, the first mass deportation took place, and about 2,500 Jews—mainly children, the elderly, and those without labor permits—were sent to the Bełżec extermination camp. Around 500 were shot in Kraśnik itself. Survivors were confined in labor camps near the synagogue and forced to work for German companies, including Schmitt & Junk and the Heinkel aircraft plant in nearby Dąbrowa-Bór.

In the autumn of 1942, Kraśnik became a collection point for Jews from neighboring towns such as Zakrzówek, Annopol, and Gościeradów. Between mid-October and early November, thousands were gathered and deported to Bełżec. On November 1, 1942, the final liquidation occurred under SS officer Otto Hantke; roughly 3,000 Jews were either shot or sent to their deaths.

After Operation Reinhard

Some 500 skilled workers were transferred to the Budzyń forced labor camp north of the town, which later became one of the largest camps in the Lublin district. Prisoners from Poland, Austria, Slovakia, and the Soviet Union worked there for German industry. Budzyń survived the “Harvest Festival” massacre of November 1943, but in 1944 the remaining prisoners were sent to Płaszów and Mauthausen.