Jakub Jan Spira – genealogia i dzieła z uwzględnieniem okresu 1939–1945

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

doi:10.37190/arc250405

Streszczenie

W artykule omówiono genealogię i twórczość Jakuba Jana Spiry (1902–1979) ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem okresu 1930–1945. Praca oparta została na dokumentacji historycznej i fotograficznej budynków, badaniach in situ, analizie dostępnych opracowań naukowych i innych źródeł (studia waloryzacji przestrzeni, karty ewidencyjne obiektów), a także na informacjach zamieszczonych w różnych publikacjach.

Przedstawiono życiorys architekta, jego wykształcenie oraz główne realizacje architektoniczne z okresu międzywojennego. Szczególną uwagę poświęcono losom architekta w czasie II wojny światowej oraz wpływowi tych wydarzeń na jego późniejszą twórczość.

Słowa kluczowe

Jakub Jan Spira, architektura międzywojenna, Wrocław, architekci żydowscy

Podgląd pełnego artykułu jest możliwy wyłącznie na większych ekranach.

2025

4(84)

Beata Makowska*, Maciej Motak**

Jakub Jan Spira

– genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

DOI: 10.37190/arc250405

Published in open access. CC BY NC ND license

Abstract

The article discusses the genealogy and work of Jakub Jan Spira (1902–1979) with special emphasis placed on the years 1930–1945.

The study is based on historical and photographic documentation of the buildings, in situ research, analysis of available academic studies and other

sources (including urban space value assessment studies and building inventory cards), as well as information from genealogical portals and microhistor-

ical sources. The research provided grounds for concluding that Jakub Spira’s works constitute an architectural heritage of considerable signicance and

that his activity contributed to shaping high-quality urban space in Kraków. The civil engineer worked successfully in both the design and construction

sectors, both independently and in collaboration with numerous architects, builders, and other specialists. The projects in which he participated are dis-

tinguished by an innovative approach, manifested in the use of modern materials, forms, and building structures. In Kraków, he created – or signicantly

contributed to the creation, as a construction manager or designer – of several dozen buildings, mostly residential tenements, but also other structures,

including a care home, a day camp pavilion for children, and a water tower.

Documenting the history of outstanding individuals and their work under the particularly dicult conditions of World War II seems crucial for pre-

serving their memory. The collected data, photographic documentation, information and archival materials provided by descendants can support eorts to

protect Jakub Spira’s architectural legacy and expand knowledge of Kraków’s architecture during the discussed period.

Key words: Jakub Spira, architecture 1939–1945, Krakow, architectural heritage, Krakow tenement

Introduction

Jakub Jan Spira (1902–1979) was a prominent civil engi-

neer of Jewish origin who worked primarily in Kraków. The

subject of this article is his professional activity, with partic-

ular emphasis on the years 1939–1945. The text is enriched

with the genealogy of the Spira family residing in Kraków

for many generations.

The chronological scope of the article covers Jakub Spi-

ra’s professional activity from 1931 until his death in 1979.

It presents the architect’s most important works from 1930–

1939, as well as all his Kraków projects realised in the years

1939–1945 that could be located. His post-war work is pre-

sented in a concise manner. Based on the discovered doc-

uments, a family tree has also been compiled, tracing his

lineage back to the early 18

century.

The territorial scope of the research includes existing

and non-existent projects carried out in Kraków within the

city’s districts as they were in the 1930s: District III – Nowy

Świat, IV – Piasek, V – Kleparz, VI – Wesoła, VIII – Ka-

zimierz, XV – Nowa Wieś, XIX – Grzegórzki, and XXII

– Podgórze.

The aim of the article is to present the works of Jakub Spi-

ra, including the period of 1939–1945. The legacy of Jewish

architects and builders in Kraków is signicant. Commem-

orating and analysing the work of a prominent member of

this professional group seems particularly important in view

of the signicance of his oeuvre. A publication that discuss-

es Spira’s work through the lens of his origins and person-

al history may contribute to a deeper understanding of this

valuable architectural heritage.

The following research hypothesis has been formulated

in the article: the works of Spira constitute an architectural

* ORCID:

0000-0002-1221-9216. Faculty of Architecture, Cracow

University of Technology, Poland, e-mail: beata.makowska@pk.edu.pl

** ORCID: 0000-0002-5223-9895. Faculty of Architecture, Cra-

cow University of Technology, Poland.

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

legacy of considerable signicance, and his professional ac-

tivity contributed to the creation of high-quality urban space

of Kraków.

The analysis is based on a selection of 19 major designs

authored or co-authored by him, as well as building proj-

ects in which he served as construction manager. A detailed

analysis was conducted for four buildings from 1930–1939

and six from the time of World War II. In the interwar years,

architects of Jewish origin formed a signicant group of

educated and experienced professionals (about 90 individu-

als) who played an active role in the construction and shap-

ing of the city’s space. During the war, most of them lost

their lives, and some were forced to emigrate.

State of research

The fate of architects and builders in Kraków during

World War II has been discussed in several publications

(Agat stein-Dormontowa 1957; Motak 2024), as has the sit-

uation of the Jewish population in this period (Agat stein-

Dor mon towa 1957; Rączy 2014; Zajączkowska-Drożdż

2020; Kotarba 2022). The versatile professional activity

of Spira has also been described in several works, includ-

ing books by Barbara Zbroja on architects and builders of

Jewish origin based and active in Krakow (2023, 216–218)

and on the public utility architecture they designed (2005,

142, 143, 169). A concise overview of selected projects by

Spira can be found in published texts (Spira 1932; Dyba,

Brzoskwinia 2007, 492; Zbroja 2017) and in unpublished

typescripts (Beiersdorf 1979–1981; Krasnowolski 1998;

Da nilczyk et al. 2004; Danilczyk, Kasprzyk 2005). Kraków

te ne ment houses from the interwar period – including se-

lected buildings designed by Spira – have been discussed in

a number of publications (Purchla 1997; Makowska 2009;

2014; Zbroja 2013).

There is, however, no study presenting the entirety of

Spi ra’s

professional output. Therefore, a detailed analysis

of his work – particularly from the most dicult period of

World War II – will contribute to a better understanding and

preservation of this valuable heritage.

Description of the authors’ own research

Research methods

The adopted traditional research methods (literature re -

view, archival research in the Archiwum Narodowe w Kra -

kowie [National Archives in Kra ków] (ANK), in situ re-

search – documentation and analysis of photographs of

existing buildings) enabled presentation of the work and

professional activity of Jakub Spira. The ar ticle also em-

ploys the method of microhistorical analysis (Mo tak 2024).

This approach is based on research that preserves the in-

dividual element of the narrative while aiming at general-

ization of the results. Presenting Spira’s work within the

broader context of the genealogy of his family residing in

Kraków for many years, as well as his fate during World

War II, makes it possible to show how dicult the situation

of Jewish architects and builders was at that time and how

great were the losses that this creative community suered.

The analysis of Spira’s ancestors and family history

was based on genealogical research and documents pre-

served in the collections of the ANK. Particularly useful

for reconstructing the six-generation family tree of Spira’s

ancestors were Dan Hirschberg’s studies on Jewish fami-

lies in Kraków (Jewish Krakow… 2023) and data found on

genealogical websites (Geni 2022; My Heritage 2025a, b).

The information contained therein (some of it, unfortunate-

ly, incorrect) was veried by locating 41 vital data records

(birth, marriage, and death certicates) concerning 51 an-

cestors. The genealogical website Geni includes only 26

of Spira’s ancestors in its family tree (2022). Documents

from the ANK Akta stanu cywilnego Izraelickiego Okręgu

Metrykalnego w Krakowie [Civil Registry Records of the

Israelite Vital Records District in Kraków] also enabled

tracking down changes in the addresses of the Spira family

in Kraków.

Jan Jakub Spira – genealogy

Jakub Jan Spira

came from a Jewish family with roots in

Kraków and Wodzisław

(near Jędrzejów). He was born in

Kraków on 18 September 1902 (Fig. 1) and died on 30 Au-

gust 1979 in Manchester, United Kingdom (Zbroja 2023).

In 1945, the spelling of his surname was changed to Spyra

Jakub’s parents were the spice/mixed goods merchant Joel

Natan (Juliusz) Spira (born 5 December 1874 in Kraków,

died 19 May 1938 in Kraków) and Scheindel

Salomea

Weinberger (born 15 January 1877 in Kraków, died around

1942 as a result of the Holocaust) (Figs. 2a, b). Jakub had an

older brother, Albert (born 26 December 1899 in Kraków,

died around 1947 in Wandsworth), and two younger broth-

ers: Karol (born 24 February 1908 in Kraków, died between

1942 and 1944 as a result of the Holocaust) and Mercel

(born 12 January 1912 in Kraków, died 28 July 1913 in

Kraków). Joel and Scheindel’s family lived in Kraków,

rst at 9 Miodowa Street (in 1899), and later at 45 Dietla

Street (1902), 4 Koletek Street (1908), 71 Grodzka Street

(1912/1913), 8 Św. Sebastiana Street, and in the 1930s at

19 Sarego Street (until 1932: Zielona Street) (Centralna Bi-

blioteka Judaistyczna).

Jakub’s grandfather was the merchant Abraham Spira

(born 10 June 1828 in Kraków, died before 1917) (Fig. 2c),

and his grandmother was Rebeka Ryfka née Frost (born

1 October 1844 in Kraków, died 16 November 1917 in

Kraków) (Fig. 2d). His great-grandfather, Herszel Saul

Spira, was a “market speculator” and Talmudist in 1828.

Jakub’s great-great-grandfather was Saul

Spira, the son of

Israel Spira

The architect’s ancestors (Fig. 3) belonged to well-known

Kraków families. They pursued various professions: Saul

Another version of the names: Jacov/Yaakov Yan/Yanik.

Saul and Raycla Spira lived in Wodzisław in a house at no. 22

(in 1818).

The modication of the surname is visible on Jakub Spira’s birth cer-

ticate – a note by the Voivodeship Oce in Kraków dated 20 July 1945.

Another version of the name: Szejndel.

The article uses the Hebrew version of the names.

Another version of the name: Kahana-Shapira. The surname most

likely originates from the city of Speyer (Spira).

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

Fig. 1. Jakub Spira’s birth certificate

(source: ANK, Civil Registry Records of the Israelite Vital Records District in Krakow, ref. no. 29/1472/488, record 595, p. 199)

Il. 1. Akt urodzenia Jakuba Spiry

(źródło: ANK, Akta stanu cywilnego Izraelickiego Okręgu Metrykalnego w Krakowie, sygn. 29/1472/488, akt 595, s. 199)

Fig. 2. Jakub Spira’s family: a) Mother Scheindel as a young woman, 1906 (source: A. Bennett’s archives),

b) Mother in 1940 (source: Central Jewish Library, Archives of the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute, ref. no. 218/34/215/60,

“Personal questionnaires of persons designated for resettlement from Kraków, 20.08.1940”, https://cbj.jhi.pl/documents/899353/0/),

c) Grandfather Abraham Spira, 1906 (source: A. Bennett’s archives), d) grandmother Rebeka, 1906 (source: A. Bennett’s archives)

Il. 2. Rodzina Jakuba Spiry: a) matka Scheindel w młodości, 1906 (źródło: zbiory A. Bennett),

b) matka, 1940 (źródło: Centralna Biblioteka Judaistyczna. Zbiory Żydowskiego Instytutu Historycznego im. E. Ringelbluma,

sygn. 218/34/215/60, “Ankiety personalne osób skierowanych do wysiedlenia z Krakowa. 20.08.1940” https://cbj.jhi.pl/documents/899353/0/),

c) dziadek Abraham Spira, 1906 (źródło: zbiory A. Bennett), d) babcia Rebeka, 1906 (źródło: zbiory A. Bennett)

Spira and Israel Spira were rabbis in Wodzisław (AGAD);

Kalman Weinberger and Samuel Weinberger were tailors;

Mendel Lazar Sperling was a trade agent; Mosze Hirsz Jo-

sef Sperling worked as a hospital orderly; Mosze Lobzower

was a shopkeeper; and Abraham Goldman was a trader.

Jakub Spira (Figs. 4a, b) completed his studies in German

at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Technical Univer-

sity in Brno, Moravia, in 1924. He obtained his professional

licence, issued by the Directorate of Public Works of the

Voivodeship Oce in Kraków, in 1932 (Zbroja 2023,

216).

Until the outbreak of World War II, he lived and worked in

Kraków, following in the footsteps of many generations of

his ancestors. During the war, he moved to Lviv, where – on

3 October 1940 – he married Maryla Halina (Chaja)

Lang-

berg (Fig. 4c).

Jakub Spira’s more important works

from the years 1930–1939

Jakub Spira was a member of numerous professional

organizations, including the Kraków branch of the Polish

Association of Civil Engineers, the Association of Jewish

Engineers in Kraków, and the Professional Association of

Builders, Construction Managers, Technicians, and Build-

ing Industrialists in Kraków (Zbroja 2023, 217). In the

1930s, Spira was a highly-valued and respected designer

and structural engineer in the Kraków professional com-

munity – he worked as […] a sworn court expert in civil

engineering, reinforced concrete, and steel struct.[ures].

Kraków, Zielona 19, Tel. 101-40 (ANK, AMK, ref. no.

29/ 33/Kr 3759). In 1932, he founded his own design stu-

a b c d

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

Fig. 3. Genealogical tree of Jakub Spira’s ancestors, elaborated by B. Makowska

(source: ANK, Civil Registry Records of the Israelite Vital Records District in Krakow, ref. no. 29/1472/488; Jewish Krakow… 2023)

Il. 3. Drzewo genealogiczne Jakuba Spiry, oprac. B. Makowska

(źródło: ANK, Akta stanu cywilnego Izraelickiego Okręgu Metrykalnego w Krakowie, sygn. 29/1472/488; Jewish Krakow… 2023)

dio.

An example of his work are the static calculations for

the reinforced concrete frame of the Artists’ House [Dom

Plastyków] (designed by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, 1934–

1939) at 3 Łobzowska Street, which he did in 1934 (ANK,

Municipal Construction Archives [ABM], 3 Łobzowska

Street, fasc. 534). Spira was a licenced construction ma-

nager and probably sometimes signed o designs by his

architect colleagues

, which is why authorship is not al-

ways easy to verify. He probably obtained a licence to pre-

pare plans (designs) for construction works under cer tain

conditions (Rozporządzenie Prezydenta Rze czy pos poli-

tej 1928, 394). During this period, he collaborated with

notable architects and builders, such as: Edward Kreisler,

The Kraków building authority (the Building Department in the

City Hall, and from 1934 the Building Department of the Municipal

Board, often tacitly accepted such informal arrangements, but always

required that the project meet the relevant criteria (Motak 2021, 52–58).

This is conrmed by numerous accounts and conjectures of many re-

searchers. However, such situations were rarely fully reected in the

ocial documentation; and most often, they were not reected at all.

Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, Józef Wetzstein, Alfred Dün-

tuch, Rudolf Hand, Ignacy Bierer, Stanisław Zydroń, and

Samu el Nebenzahl.

Thanks to his versatile professional competencies, Jakub

Spira was able to partially circumvent the restrictions in

practising his profession that aected Jewish architects and

builders in Kraków (Motak 2021, 52–58). His works from

1930–1939 include:

– rebuilding of Fabryka Kabli [Cable Factory] at 114

Wielicka Street, District XXII (designed by Spira, 1930)

(Zbroja 2023, 218),

– buildings of Fabryka Chemiczno-Farmaceutyczna Dr

A. Wan der S.A. [Dr. A. Wander Chemical-Pharmaceu tical

Fac tory] at 80 Mogilska Street, District XIX (designed by

Spi ra, 1930–1931) (ANK, ABM, 80 Mogilska Street, fasc.

621 and 622) (Fig. 5a),

– the tenement of

Przedsiębiorstwo dla Budowli

Żel be-

towych E. Uderski i Ska [Reinforced Concrete Construction

Company E. Uderski & Co.

] at 25 Lubelska Street, District

XV (designed by Spira, 1930–1935) (ANK, ABM, 25 Lu-

belska Street, fasc. 515),

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

– the tenement at 43 Łobzowska Street / 1 Szlak Street,

District IV (designed by Düntuch, Spira, 1934) (ANK, ABM,

43 Łobzowska Street, fasc. 539),

– the tenement at 2a Józeńska Street, District XXII (de-

signed by Spira, Bierer, 1936) (ANK, ABM, 2a Józeń ska

Street, fasc. 338),

– the tenement at 20b Lea Street, District XV (designed

by Spira, Kreisler?, 1935–1936) (ANK, ABM, 2a Józeń ska

Street, fasc. 197a),

– the tenement at 72 Krowoderska Street, District IV

(de-

signed by Spira, 1936) (ANK, ABM, 72 Krowoderska Street,

fasc. 458),

– the tenement at 1 Bujwida/8 Łazarza Street, District VI

(designed by Spira, Zydroń, 1936) (ANK, ABM, 1 Bujwida

Street, fasc. 89), and

– expansion of Fabryka Chemiczno-Farmaceutyczna

Dr A. Wander S.A. [Dr. A. Wander Chemical-Pharmaceu-

tical Factory] at 80 Mogilska Street, District XIX (designed

by Spira, 1930–1931) (ANK, ABM, 80 Mogilska Street,

fasc. 621 and 622).

Other works by Spira from the period 1930–1939 in-

clude:

• Water tower at 28 Rzeźnicza Street, District XIX

(designed by Spira, 1931)

The old water tower was located on the site of the former

municipal slaughterhouse (designed by Maciej Moraczews-

ki, 1878), which was dismantled during the redevelopment

of the complex around 1911, as the facility had by then been

connected to the municipal water supply. However, water

consumption at the slaughterhouse was so high that, in 1931,

a new water tower was constructed using reinforced con-

crete, which was designed by Spira (Fig. 5b). It was built by

Przedsiębiorstwo dla Budowli Żelbetowych E. Uderski i Ska

[Reinforced Concrete Construction Company E. Uderski &

Co.] (Spira 1932; Zbroja 2013, 170). It featured a modern,

partially openwork form mounted on an octagonal plinth.

The tower was demolished in 2003 in connection with the

construction of the Galeria Kazimierz shopping mall.

• Tenement house at 10 Asnyka Street, District IV

(designed by Spira, Kreisler?, 1936–1937)

The four-story tenement with a wide (24.2 m) frontage

was designed in 1936. The design was probably authored

by Edward Kreisler (Zbroja 2023, 218), with Spira serving

as construction manager. At the time, the owners of the ten-

ement were Izrael, Jozue, Józef, Szulem, and Herman Abra-

hamer, as well as Helena Horowitz. The building, construct-

ed on an approximately rectangular plan, forms a continuous

street frontage and is made of brick and reinforced concrete,

with a plastered nish. It is a two-bay building with a cen-

tral corridor passage (Dreścik 1978; Beiersdorf 1979–1981;

Danilczyk, Kasprzyk 2005, 9–10). A hall running through

the whole building was designed along the central axis, and

a staircase at the rear axis. The Building Department ordered

placing a decorative emblem above the entrance gate (ANK,

ABM, 10 Asnyka Street, fasc. 9). The bas-relief He and She

with a Fawn was created by the sculptor Joanna Grabowska

(original surname: Roma Szereszewska), the daughter-in-

law of the investor Izrael Abrahamer (Grabowska 2021).

The front façade is seven bays wide on the ground oor and

eight bays on the upper oors (Fig. 6). It features prominent

bay windows spanning the six central bays, suspended above

a partially uted ground oor. The horizontal articulation is

emphasized by the wide windows of the bay and their pro-

truding surrounds, while the vertical articulation is highlight-

ed by the porte-fenêtres in the outermost bays. The decorative

emblem above the wide entrance portal with a

geometrically

stylized grille depicts two women with a fawn. Each oor

contains two ats. The ground oor includes two two-room

ats and a caretaker’s at. A spacious hall runs along the

Fig. 4. Jakub Jan Spira: a) circa 1920, b) circa 1939, c) with his wife, the photo taken in Dunajewskiego Street in Krakow probably in the summer

of 1945 (according to the caption on the photograph, taken in Lviv circa 1942) (source: A. Bennett’s archives)

Il. 4. Jakub Jan Spira: a) około 1920, b) około 1939, c) z żoną, zdjęcie wykonane na ul. Dunajewskiego w Krakowie, prawdopodobnie latem 1945

(według podpisu na fotografii wykonane we Lwowie około 1942) (źródło: zbiory A. Bennett)

a b c

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

Fig. 5. Spira’s works from the years 1930–1939: a) the building of the Dr. A. Wander Chemical-Pharmaceutical Factory at 80 Mogilska Street, 1964

(photo by Jerzy Suberlak, source: https://fotopolska.eu/1424286,foto.html?o=b197525&p=1), b) the water tower in Rzeźnicza Street, 28 Jan. 1932

(source: NAC sygn. 3/1/0/8/6583)

Il. 5. Dzieła Spiry z okresu 1930–1939: a) budynek Fabryki Chemiczno-Farmaceutycznej Dr A. Wander S.A. przy ul. Mogilskiej 80, 1964

(fot. Jerzy Suberlak, źródło: https://fotopolska.eu/1424286,foto.html?o=b197525&p=1), b) wieża ciśnień przy ul. Rzeźniczej, 28.01.1932

(źródło: NAC, sygn. 3/1/0/8/6583)

Fig. 6. Tenement at 10 Asnyka Street: a) the ground floor plan (source: ANK, ABM, 10 Asnyka Street, fasc. 9), b) façade (source: ANK, ABM,

10 Asnyka Street, fasc. 9), c) front façade (photo by B. Makowska)

Il. 6. Kamienica przy ul. Asnyka 10: a) rzut parteru (źródło: ANK, ABM, ul. Asnyka 10, fasc. 9), b) elewacja (źródło: ANK, ABM,

ul. Asnyka 10, fasc. 9), c) elewacja frontowa (fot. B. Makowska)

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

central axis of the building, with the staircase located in the

adjacent right-hand axis. The garden-facing façade features

a slight risalit with characteristic round bathroom windows

and an oval portal (Makowska 2014, 174).

• Tenement at 12 Pawia Street / 11 Worcella Street,

District V (designed by Spira, 1937–1938)

The ve-storey corner tenement house was designed and

built in 1937–1938 (Makowska 2014, 184). Spira served as

the construction manager. The owners of the building were

Marian Rozmaryn, Antoni Jasiński, and Ignacy Halpern. It

was built of brick and reinforced concrete, and it is plastered.

The Building Department ordered placing a decorative em-

blem above the entrance gate (ANK, ABM, 12 Pawia Street,

fasc. 668). Executed in the sgrato technique, it depicts

a highlander with a peacock sitting on a branch (a reference

to the street’s name); it is located at the level of the rst oor.

The front façade in Pawia Street is ve bays wide, while

the one in Worcella Street has four bays (Fig. 7). A dynamic

corner was designed, composed of four-storey loggias with

balconies featuring solid, rounded, plastered balustrades.

An interesting detail is the horizontal agpole. The entrance

portal, with shopfronts planned next to it, is adorned with

doors incorporating semicircular motifs harmonized with the

shape of the balconies. The spandrel panels are rendered in

lighter-coloured plaster, accentuating the horizontal articula-

tion of the façade. The tenement is a two-bay building with

a corridor between the bays (Danilczyk, Kasprzyk 2005,

323, 324). In the second axis from the southern wing, the

front bay contains a vestibule with a short ight of stairs,

while the rear bay includes a hall leading to the staircase

located in the adjacent axis, as well as a lift. The irregular,

corner-shaped plot aected the plan layout, resulting in po-

Fig. 7. Tenement at 12 Pawia Street / 11 Worcella Street:

a) the ground floor plan (source: ANK, ABM, 12 Pawia Street, fasc. 668), b) front façade (photo by B. Makowska)

Il. 7. Kamienica przy ul. Pawiej 12 / Worcella 11:

a) rzut parteru (źródło: ANK, ABM ul. Pawia 12, fasc. 668), b) elewacja frontowa (fot. B. Makowska)

lygonal rooms at the intersection of oblique directions and

a staircase shifted o the entrance axis.

• Tenement at 9 Worcella Street, District V

(designed by Spira, 1937–1938)

The ve-storey tenement house was designed and erect-

ed in 1937–1938 in the former Pawia Boczna Street. The

construction manager was Jakub Spira

. In 1938, additional

plans were submitted for internal alterations (Makowska

2014, 190). The owner of the building was Waleria Rydlew-

ska. The Building Department required that a decorative

emblem be placed above the entrance gate (ANK, ABM, 6

Worcella Street, fasc. 991); it depicts a woman with a child

and a tray of fruit. The front façade is ve bays wide on the

ground oor and four bays on the upper storeys (Fig. 8). The

outer bays are accentuated by shallow loggias framed with-

in a common surround. A horizontal accent on the façade

is formed by the continuous framing of the entrance and

the adjacent windows. The tenement is two-bay with an in-

ter-bay corridor, built of brick and reinforced concrete, and

plastered. Along the central axis in the front bay, a vestibule

with a short ight of stairs was designed, while in the rear

bay there is a two-ight staircase (Dayczak-Domanasiewicz

1976; Danilczyk, Kasprzyk 2005, 571, 572).

Works by Jakub Spira from the years 1939–1945

After the deportations of the Jewish population from

Kraków in 1940 and the establishment of the ghetto in the

The fact is conrmed by a stamp: construction management – Eng.

Jakub Jan Spira.

a b

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

Podgórze district in 1941, architects of Jewish origin had

increasingly limited opportunities to work. Spira probably

stayed in Lviv from the autumn of 1939, where he worked

for some time at the construction company Johann Pontess

Bau konstruktionen (Reiss 1993, 84). In September 1942,

Dr. Ta deusz Niesielski arranged identication documents

for him under the name Jan Sysak, which enabled his survi-

val (Zbroja 2023, 217, 218). Later, the architect went into

hiding in Warsaw, and after the war – probably in 1945 – he

returned to Kraków.

The works attributed to him from this period include:

• Tenement at 13 Lenartowicz Street, District IV

(designed by Spira, Kreisler, 1938 – 1940)

The tenement was designed by Edward Kreisler (Zbroja

2017; 2023, 218) for the Dr A. Wander Chemical and Phar-

maceutical Factory and built between 1938 and 1940. Spira

served as the construction manager

. According to the site

log, he worked on this project until 29 August 1939, after

which, from 30 October of the same year, it was supervised

by Diana Reiter (representing Kazimierz Kulczyński’s com -

pany). The tenement is two-bay, with segments of an inter-

The fact is conrmed by a stamp: construction management – Eng.

Jakub Jan Spira.

Fig. 8. Tenement at 9 Worcella Street;

a) façade (source: ANK, ABM, 9 Worcella Street, fasc. 991), b) front façade (photo by B. Makowska)

Il. 8. Kamienica przy ul. Worcella 9: a) elewacja (źródło: ANK, ABM, ul. Worcella 9, fasc. 991), b) elewacja frontowa (fot. B. Makowska)

bay corridor (Danilczyk, Kasprzyk 2005, 255). The asym-

metrical, two-part volume features distinct horizontal win-

dow bands that continue around the corner (Fig. 9). The di -

vision of the façade into a four-storey and a six-storey sec-

tion creates a gradual transition between the three-storey

building anking it on the right and the six-storey building

on the left. The front façade of the southern section projects

forward in a shallow risalit in relation to the two-axis north-

ern section. The entrance portal, with a rounded right corner

made of glass blocks, features doors decorated with a geo-

metric grille and is placed in the northernmost axis. It leads

to a carriage passageway and a spacious vestibule with a lift

and a staircase located in the rear bay along the adjacent axis.

The building is an example of functionalism, uncommon in

Kraków’s modernist residential architecture (Purchla 1997,

175). On the right side, the plot ends with an oblique wall,

along which the sanitary facilities and servants’ quarters

were placed. In this building, Spira and Kreisler used new

materials – the recess of the entrance portal was made of

glass blocks, providing daylight to the cart storage area and

the entrance hall – as well as an innovative skeletal structure,

which allowed for more exible interior layouts. The terrace

serves as a decorative element enhancing the plasticity of

the façade. The Building Department required a decorative

emblem to be placed above the entrance gate (ANK, ABM,

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

13 Lenartowicza Street, fasc. 491); it depicts an archer

, in

some sources interpreted as a representation of Saint George

(Danilczyk, Kasprzyk 2005, 255). The emblem is now locat-

ed on the top oor.

• Tenement at 3 Smoleńsk Street, District III

(designed by Nebenzahl, Spira, 1938–1940)

The tenement was designed by Eng. Samuel Neben-

zahl, with the signicant involvement of Jakub Spira, who,

among other things, prepared an alternative design and de -

signs for a free-standing garage, as well as supervised the

entire construction process. The documentation bears the

stamps of the licenced civil engineers Nebenzahl and Spira.

The client was Dr. Kazimierz Karelus, an ophthalmo logist

and the owner of the property. The 1935 design, prepared

for the previous owner, had expired; the new design by

Nebenzahl and Spira (dated 13 September 1938) featured

modications to the internal layout and façades. It was sub-

mitted on 25 April and approved on 13 May 1939 (ANK,

ABM, 3 Smoleńsk Street, fasc. 834), at a time when con-

struction was likely already underway. The outbreak of the

war did not stop the building works (or only interrupted

them briey). However, from September 1939, correspon-

dence from the Building Department to the owner was no

In the design documentation, it depicted a child riding a lion.

Fig. 9. Tenement at 13 Lenartowicza Street: a) the ground floor plan (source: ANK, ABM, 13 Lenartowicza Street, fasc. 491),

b) façade (source: ANK, ABM, 13 Lenartowicza Street, fasc. 491), c) front façade (photo by B. Makowska)

Il. 9. Kamienica przy ul. Lenartowicza 13: a) rzut parteru (źródło: ANK, ABM, ul. Lenartowicza 13, fasc. 491),

b) elewacja (źródło: ANK, ABM, ul. Lenartowicza 13, fasc. 491), c) elewacja frontowa (fot. B. Makowska)

longer addressed to Eng. Spira, as before, but directly to

Karelus. Most probably, Spira was no longer involved in the

construction (or he was – for a short period – but only infor-

mally). It is impossible to determine whether this resulted

primarily from restrictions imposed by the occupation or

from Spira’s departure to Lviv. Both before and after the

outbreak of the war, the authorities conrmed the comple-

tion of successive stages of construction in accordance with

the architectural and engineering designs, with only minor

reservations. The occupancy permit for the tenement house

was granted on 3 October 1940.

The building was designed in a modern style, typical

of Kraków designs from the late 1930s. In addition to the

standard residential programme, it is worth noting that it

included a part designated for the medical practice on the

rst oor and a “gas shelter” in the basement. The revised

design also introduced a number of changes: the free-stand-

ing garage in the courtyard was enlarged from three to four

spaces, and a new, alternative form of the emblem above

the entrance was included in the form of a sketch (Fig. 10).

The three-storey building with a lift still exists today in its

original form. The façade has six axes, with the four central

ones visually unied by horizontal cornices placed beneath

the windows. The window and portal frames, as well as the

ground-oor plinth, were made of sandstone. Above the en-

trance portal is a geometric oral decoration and an emblem

– added later – depicting the Eye of Providence. The shape

b c

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

of it does not t the dimensions of the space originally in-

tended for the emblem. The balcony railings are decorated

with nautical knot motifs, and a agpole, set at an angle of

about 20°, was placed on the façade’s central axis.

• The Old People’s Home of the “Asyfas Skeinim”

Society at 6 Chmielowskiego Street, District VIII

(designed by Kreisler, Spira, 1937–1940)

The building of the “Asyfas Skeinim” Society for the

Pro tection of Jewish Old People was erected between 1937

and 1940 thanks to a bequest from Adolf Arber. It was de-

signed by the architect Edward Kreisler (Zbroja 2005, 142,

146; 2013, 276). Spira served as the technical advisor to the

board of the “Asyfas Skeinim” Society (Krakowski Zakład

Starców Żydowskich 1937, 15). He was also the construc-

tion manager for the project and executed the static calcula-

tions for the structure (ANK, ABM, 1 Augustiańska Street,

ref. no 29/1410/1617; ANK, ABM, Augustiańska Boczna

Street, ref. no 29/1410/1642). The building was erected as

a corner structure in the then Augustiańska Boczna Street

(now 6 Chmielowskiego Street). Documents preserved in

the ANK archives refer to it as the Zakład Starców Żydows-

kich (ANK, ABM, TAU, BUP, 6 Chmielowskiego Street,

fasc. 24, 2213–2216). They refer to several nishing works,

including carpentry, metalwork, glazing, and painting. They

were recorded on tracing sheets of the original project plans

and are only briey described, but they help in a closer un-

derstanding of the building. Additionally, a number of oth-

er documents have survived, such as: the plans from 1938,

supplementary plans from 1939, and several ocial doc-

uments including the approval of the sewage system plan

(ANK, ABM, 1 Augustiańska Street, ref. no 29/1410/1617)

and a hot water heating system design (ANK, ABM, Augus-

tiańska Boczna Street, ref. no 29/1410/1642).

The building has an L-shaped plan. Residents’ rooms

were located on the four above-ground oors of the south-

ern wing and the two upper oors of the eastern wing. The

eastern wing also contained administrative oces (on the

ground oor) and common rooms (on the rst oor), while

the basement housed the kitchen facilities, technical rooms,

and a mortuary, ominously referred to as the “corpse room

/trupiarnia/.” The entrance complex, located at the corner,

was designed to be both impressive and clear: a spacious hall

was highlighted by wide internal stairs and round columns

dening the space. All rooms and corridors were well lit with

natural daylight. The building’s style was fully modernist.

Based on undated documentation, it can be assumed that

the building was almost complete at the time of the war out-

break. It has survived to this day, although it never served

the function it was originally intended for. The free-stand-

ing building is three storeys high, with the eastern wing one

storey taller. It features typical functionalist elements, such

as extensive glazing and linear façades created by cornices

linking the windows (Fig. 11). The entrance is located at the

corner and emphasized by a projecting bay.

•

Design for the reconstruction of the day-care building

for Jewish children run by the Society for the Care of

Jewish Orphans at 35 Krzemionki Street (designed by

Spira, 1939)

The day-care building was designed for the Society for

the Care of Jewish Orphans. Spira served as the construc-

tion manager

. It was likely built in 1935, although it may

be assumed that the building itself (perhaps in a dierent

form) had already existed earlier, from the 1920s. A 1926

record contains information that day camps at Krzemion-

ki, attended by 460 children, ended on 20 August. On rainy

days, activities were organized in the classrooms of the J. I.

Kraszewski Primary School (Brzoza 2023, 454) – which

would suggest that the day-care building probably did not

yet exist at that time. In the summer of 1939, designs for

its expansion were prepared – in fact, it was a minor adjust-

ment of the internal layout. However, thanks to this design,

The fact is conrmed by the stamp: Eng. Jan Jakub Spira.

Fig. 10. Tenement at 3 Smoleńsk Street: a) the ground floor plan (source: ANK, ABM, 3 Smoleńsk Streeet, ssc. 834),

b) the tenement façade (photo by B. Makowska)

Il. 10. Kamienica przy ul. Smoleńsk 3: a) rzut parteru (źródło: ANK, ABM, ul. Smoleńsk 3, fasc. 834), b) elewacja kamienicy (fot. B. Makowska)

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

Fig. 11. Building at 6 Chmielowskiego Street: a) the ground floor plan (source: ANK, ABM, TAU, BUP, 6 Chmielowskiego Street, Fasc. 24P2214),

b) the tenement corner (photo by M. Motak)

Il. 11. Budynek przy ul. Chmielowskiego 6: a) rzut parteru (źródło: ANK, ABM, TAU, BUP, ul. Chmielowskiego 6, fasc. 24P2214),

b) narożnik kamienicy (fot. M. Motak)

preserved in the ANK archives (ANK, ABM, Krzemionki

Street, fasc. 475a), we know the functional-spatial layout

and architectural appearance of the building that had al-

ready been built at that time (Fig. 12).

It was a large, elongated pavilion (33.75 × 7.85 m) with

a timber superstructure, concrete strip foundation, and brick

foundation walls, with basement under a part of the building.

It had a hipped roof, with the higher central part to accommo-

date a spacious, bright veranda. The building was equipped

with a kitchen with pantry, two washrooms, a classroom, and

Fig. 12. Designs for the reconstruction of the day-care building for Jewish children run by the Society for the Care of Jewish Orphans

at 35 Krzemionki Street: a) façade, b) the ground floor plan (source: ANK, ABM, 35 Krzemionki Street, fasc. 475a)

Il. 12. Projekt przebudowy budynku półkolonii dla dzieci żydowskich Towarzystwa Opieki nad Sierotami Żydowskimi przy ul. Krzemionki 35:

a) elewacja, b) rzut parteru (źródło: ANK, ABM, ul. Krzemionki 35, fasc. 475a)

administrative rooms. According to annotations from the au -

thorities, it was intended as a temporary

building, to be de-

molished after ten years. When and why this actually oc-

curred is unknown. It is possible that it did not survive the

war; although it was shown on the “Detailed Plan of Kraków

with Adjacent Communes, 1947”, it is uncertain whether it

still in fact existed at that time (the plan – although very pre-

cise – contained some inaccurate or outdated information,

see Motak 2020, 361). The building was beautifully situated

on a long, elevated plot of nearly half a hectare, which also

a b

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

contained free-standing sanitary facilities and roofed shel-

ters. Today, there are no traces of the former day-care com-

plex, yet the boundaries of the undeveloped plot are still

largely discernible.

• Tenement at 3 Czarnowiejska Street

/ 19 Michałow skiego Street (designed by Spira, 1939)

The documentation of the unbuilt house contains only

two sketches of the structure from an earlier, unexecuted

design of unknown authorship (ANK, ABM, 3 Czarno-

wiej ska Street, fasc. 121). More information is available in

the documentation of the neighbouring, also unbuilt house

at 5 Czarnowiejska Street. The corner house at No. 3 was

planned to include eight apartments and a caretaker’s room

with a bathroom. On the design sheet, there is a stamp:

Construction management: Eng. Jakub Jan Spira, govern-

ment-licenced civil engineer (ANK, ABM, 5 Czarnowiejska

Street, fasc. 121) dated 22 August 1939.

• Design for a tenement at 5 Czarnowiejska Street

(designed by Spira, 1939)

The unbuilt three-storey residential building was de-

signed for Antoni Jasiński, Marian Rozmaryn, and Ignacy

and Ida Halpern. It was planned to include eight apartments

and a caretaker’s room with a bathroom. On the design sheet,

there is a stamp: Construction management: Eng. Jakub Jan

Spira, government-licenced civil engineer (ANK, ABM, 5

Czarnowiejska Street, fasc. 121) dated 22 August 1939.

Spira’s activities after 1945

In 1947, the Spiras moved to England

, where they set-

tled permanently with their daughters Anne and Shirley. The

Krakow-born builder initially collaborated with Messrs. Hus-

band and Company, and in October 1950 he became a partner

in the rm Taylor, Whalley and Spyra

, which still operates

today (bearing his name). At that time, the company’s oces

were located in Manchester and London. Among the proj-

ects completed with Spira’s involvement were: the post oce

tower in London (with a revolving restaurant at the top), the

Chemistry Building in Manchester, Access Bridge Water-

sheddles Reservoir in Howarth (designed in 1956), St Mary’s

Church in Liverpool (designed by Weightman and Bullen,

1957–1959), and Ciba Geigy in Schahausen, Switzerland.

In addition to designing, Spira also participated in interna-

tional conferences related to civil engineering

Conclusions

Jakub Spira came from one of the most well-known and

distinguished Jewish families of Krakow. During the inter-

war period, he belonged to the group of prominent Krakow

architectural creators. In a relatively short time, he estab-

lished a solid reputation and a stable position in a demand-

In England, they lived in Sheeld, and then in Manchester;

source of information: Anne Bennett

Based on information provided by Anne Bennett.

Among others, in the 7

Congress of the International Associ-

ation for Bridge and Structural Engineering in Rio de Janeiro in 1964.

ing professional environment. He was highly successful

in both the design and construction sectors, working in-

dependently as well as in collaboration with numerous ar-

chitects, builders, and other specialists. It is likely that the

author of several tenement houses whose construction was

supervised by Spira was in fact Edward Kreisler was (in-

cluding those at 13 Lenartowicza Street, 72 Krowoderska

Street, 10 Asnyka Street, 12 Pawia Street, 9 Worcella Street,

and 20b Lea Street – Zbroja 2023, 218). These buildings

stood out in comparison with other contemporary buildings

because of the designer’s innovative approach, reected in

the use of modern materials, forms, and construction tech-

niques. Spira played a signicant role in creating dozens

of buildings, mostly residential tenements, but also a care

home and a water tower.

Information about the life and work of the Krakow-born

architect during World War II is limited, which is under-

standable given the circumstances of the period. Neverthe-

less, the conducted research and available data indicate that,

during the war, Jakub Spira continued his excellent profes-

sional practice started in the interwar period, inasmuch as it

was possible in the situation of dramatically restricted op-

portunities and extremely dicult conditions. For a short

time, he continued previously started projects; later, he was

forced to hide his identity, yet even then he sought to remain

active in his trained profession.

Jakub Spira made a substantial contribution to shaping

the urban space of Krakow through his projects, both those

he was able to complete before the outbreak of the war and

those nished in the subsequent months and years. Most

of these buildings have survided unit the present day and

constitute an important part of the currently highly valued

legacy of Krakow’s architectural and urban thought.

After the war, Spira continued to work in his trained and

beloved profession. However, a signicant portion of his

later creative output was produced outside Poland – like

many other survivors, the architect left his homeland after

the tragedy that befell his family and community.

List of characteristic features

of Spira’s tenement houses

The tenement houses designed or co-designed by Spira

feature elements of functionalism and characteristics typi-

cally associated with the International Style (Table 1). They

are characterized by a modular form – typical of modern-

ism, rounded corners, ribbon windows, and simplied de-

tailing, including emblems. During this period, decorative

emblems were most often created by sculptors who were

graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts or the State School

of Decorative Arts and Artistic Industry.

Influence of World War II on Spira’s works

Because of the war, tenement houses owned by people

of Jewish origin had to change ownership. After the war,

many members of this community made eorts to reclaim

the buildings that had previously belonged to them and their

families – for example, Spira recovered his shares in the ten-

ement houses at 43 Łobzowska Street and 9 Straszewskiego

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogy and works, including the years 1939–1945

Street (ANK, Okręgowy Urząd Likwidacyjny w Krakowie/

District Liquidation Oce in Kraków/, le no. 29/1052/32).

The occupation authorities interfered with the designs of

buildings constructed during the war, and the war itself led

to damage or destruction of buildings and to changes in their

function. It is worth noting several characteristic examples

of such – usually adverse, though varying – eects:

– bullet marks are still visible on the façade of the ten-

ement house at 12 Pawia Street (located near the railway

station),

– the Jewish Old People’s Home at 6 Chmielowskiego

Street was never used for its intended purpose,

– the building and the entire summer day-care centre

complex at Krzemionki ceased to exist,

– a bomb attack took place in the tenement house at 25

Lubelska Street, commemorated by a plaque on its front

façade bearing the inscription: On 28 January 1943, a com-

bat unit of the Polish Socialist Party carried out a bomb

attack on the Arbaitsamnt /Labour Oce/ located in this

building, destroying all its records and saving thousands of

Poles from being deported for forced labour in Germany,

– the use of antennas was prohibited – on 10 Octo-

ber 1939, the occupation authorities banned listening

to foreign radio stations, and the conscation of ra-

dio sets was ordered on 15 December 1939 (Czocher

2007, 20; Motak 2020, 137),

– agpoles were not used in the way originally intended

by the designers.

The construction of tenement houses designed by Spira,

as well as by other architects and builders, was hindered

during the occupation, among other reasons due to a short-

age of materials (Broński 1987, 181).

Summary

Jakub Jan Spira was a talented designer with a substantial

and diverse body of work from the years 1930–1939, and an

equally signicant one from 1939–1945 – his designs con-

tinued to be carried out even in his absence. His profession-

al activity took various forms: from designing residential

buildings (as author or co-author), through structural de-

sign, to supervising or managing construction. He success-

fully continued his creative work in exile in England. Spira

was one of the few members of Kraków’s Jewish communi-

ty who survived the war – thanks to the help of non-Jewish

people (providing documents under a false name, escape

from Lviv) and, certainly, to the more substantial nancial

means he had accumulated through his professional work.

His brother Karol (Jewish Krakow… 2023), also an engi-

neer, and his mother, Scheindel Salomea, did not survive the

war (his mother was shot on a train

Documenting the history of outstanding individuals and

their work under the extremely dicult conditions of World

War II seems particularly important for preserving their

memory. The collected data, photographic documentation,

archival information, and photographs shared by descen-

dants can help support eorts to protect Spira’s architectur-

al legacy and expand knowledge of Kraków’s architecture

from the period under consideration.

In the authors’ opinion, based on the research conducted

so far, there is no doubt that Jakub Spira and his works de-

serve further study and a comprehensive book monograph.

Translated by

Alicja Półtorak-Filipowska

Based on information provided by Anne Bennett.

Characteristic features

Tenements from the years 1930–1945 built with the participation of Jakub Spira

(in the role of the construction manager or designer)

Façade composition

– compositional and aesthetic relationship between the exterior and interior of the buildings

– frequent asymmetry in the division of architectural elements (13 Lenartowicza Street, 12 Pawia Street)

– dynamic horizontal intersections of surfaces: ribbon windows (13 Lenartowicza Street), oval balconies

(12 Pawia Street), rounded entrance corners (13 Lenartowicza Street)

Façade surface – smooth and flat surface of the walls enriched with horizontal or vertical rythmic patterns

Interiors

– clear relationship between the floor plans and the building façades

– mostly high interior standards, with spacious staircases and halls

Windows and doors

– rectangular windows, often emphasizing their horizontal arrangement

– “band” windows, sometimes wrapping around corners

– window/balcony recesses grouped vertically

– individually designed details of entrance portals

Details and decorations

– details treated as structural elements, rather than applied independently of the surface layout

– decorative emblems on tenement houses added at the request of the Building Department and placed

above entrances (9 Worcella Street, 72 Krowoderska Street), on the top floor along the axis of a risalit

(13 Lenartowicza Street), or above the ground floor near the entrance portal (12 Pawia Street)

Materials

– high-quality decorative plasters (terrabona), variety of materials used in the design of entrance portals

and window surrounds (cherry-coloured clinker brick, stone, glazed tiles, metal grilles on entrance doors)

– mostly monochromatic compositions; interiors made use of, among other things, glass blocks/luxfers,

terrazzo floors, and wall cladding (13 Lenartowicza Street)

Table 1. List of characteristic features of Spira’s tenement houses (elaborated by B. Makowska)

Tabela 1. Zestawienie charakterystycznych cech kamienic Spiry (oprac. B. Makowska)

Beata Makowska, Maciej Motak

Acknowledgements

This publication was funded by the research project titled Jewish Architects

and Builders in Krakow during World War II (1939–1945): Professional

Activity, Fates, and Legacy, NCN Reg. no 2024/53/B/HS2/02010.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Ms. Anne Bennett for shar

ing photographs from her archives and valuable information on her father

Jakub Spira.

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Streszczenie

Jakub Jan Spira – genealogia i dzieła z uwzględnieniem okresu 1939–1945

W artykule omówiono genealogię i twórczość Jakuba Jana Spiry (1902–1979) ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem okresu 1930–1945.

Praca oparta została na dokumentacji historycznej i fotogracznej budynków, badaniach in situ, analizie dostępnych opracowań naukowych

i innych źródeł (studia waloryzacji przestrzeni, karty ewidencyjne obiektów), a także na informacjach zamieszczonych na portalach genealogicznych

oraz mikrohistorii. W wyniku badań wyciągnięto wnioski, że dzieła Jakuba Spiry są dziedzictwem architektonicznym o znaczącej randze, a jego

działalność przyczyniła się do kształtowania wysokiej jakości przestrzeni miejskiej Krakowa. Inżynier budownictwa działał z dużym powodzeniem

w branżach: projektowej i wykonawczej, zarówno samodzielnie, jak i z licznymi architektami, budowniczymi oraz innymi specjalistami. Projekty

powstałe przy jego udziale wyróżniają się nowatorskim podejściem, które przejawiało się stosowaniem nowoczesnych materiałów, form i konstrukcji

budowlanych. Stworzył w Krakowie (bądź istotnie przyczynił się do stworzenia jako kierownik budowy czy projektant) kilkadziesiąt budynków

– w większości kamienic mieszkalnych, ale także innych, m.in. domu opieki, pawilonu półkolonijnego dla dzieci, wieży ciśnień.

Zapis historii wybitnych ludzi i ich działalności w szczególnie trudnych warunkach II wojny światowej wydaje się bardzo ważny dla zachowania

pamięci o nich. Zebrane dane, dokumentacja fotograczna, informacje i archiwalne zdjęcia przekazane przez potomków mogą wesprzeć działania na

rzecz ochrony dziedzictwa architektonicznego Jakuba Spiry i wzbogacić wiedzę o architekturze Krakowa omawianego okresu.

Słowa kluczowe:

Jakub Spira, architektura 1939–1945, Kraków, dziedzictwo architektoniczne, krakowskie kamienice