In the former Schindler's factory in Brněnec, the Museum of Survivors was officially opened

Brněnec - To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the Museum of Survivors was officially opened today in the former factory of Oskar Schindler in Brněnec, Svitavy region. In addition to touring the area, people could also see two exhibitions. The museum will initially be accessible only on special occasions, said project manager of Schindler's Ark, Milan Šudoma. During World War II, the Brněnec factory, led by businessman Oskar Schindler, produced munitions and became a subsidiary camp of the Gross-Rosen concentration camp.

"It will not be open daily for now. A few days during this year will be designated for tours," Šudoma stated.

At the grand opening, a permanent exhibition titled Starting at Zero was installed in one of the factory halls, which had previously been located in the Tugendhat villa in Brno. It showcases works by female designers from the Bauhaus art school. Pioneers of the avant-garde faced the challenge of rebuilding their position in the professional world after the rise of Nazism and had to start from scratch. The exhibition presents a unique collection of artworks in the form of textiles, graphic prints, and ceramics.

Another exhibition depicts life in the concentration camp and focuses on those who survived the Holocaust. Period photographs, documents, and information are displayed on panels, while historical items such as suitcases and a motorcycle are showcased in cases. Audiovisual presentations complement everything. Today's museum opening was accompanied by musical performances and a showcase of the Löw-Beer textile brand collection.

Originally, the author of the famous book and the screenplay for the film Schindler's List, Thomas Keneally, was supposed to attend the museum opening. However, due to health issues, he ultimately declined to participate. His daughter did present a portion of her father's manuscript to the museum.

The factory in Brněnec was originally established as a paper mill, later serving as a wool spinning mill, which was transformed by the then-owner Izák Löw-Beer into a significant textile factory. After the Nazi invasion of Poland, Schindler acquired a former Jewish enamelware factory in Krakow, and since it was cheaper, he hired Jews from the Krakow ghetto to work there. However, the ghetto was liquidated, and its inhabitants were either murdered or deported to the concentration camp in Plaszow. When it was decided that all prisoners would be transported to Auschwitz, Schindler used bribes and contacts to ensure that not only his employees but also their families were transferred to his other business, the munitions factory in Brněnec, Moravia. In this way, he saved approximately 1,200 Polish Jews before his death. After the war, he unsuccessfully engaged in business and received many accolades. He died in 1974 in Germany and is buried in Israel.

The textile factory in Brněnec was operated by the company Vitka after 1989. When it went into bankruptcy in 2004, it was purchased by the company Bustrex and renamed Vitka Textiles. In 2011, it went bankrupt, production was halted, and the area has been deserted since then. The Archa Foundation - the Löw-Beer family and Oskar Schindler purchased it in 2018, with some buildings being listed as historical monuments. The foundation intends to renovate them and create spaces for educational activities, exhibitions, and large workshops for craft production. The complex will also include a residential area.