Completed in 1910, and originally the seat of the 'Free Savings Bank of the Royal City of Podgórze,' this is one of Podgórze's most handsome buildings, boasting a lavish secessionist façade designed by Antoni Dostal. At the top, notice the Podgórze coat of arms, while above the entrance is an allegoric relief on frugality. Despite the splendid ornamentation of the exterior, like so many places in the area, the interiors harbour dark secrets. During WWII the Jewish Social Self-Help Organisation was housed here, and it was in these halls that the dreaded ‘selections’ were made, deciding which Jews would be transferred to death camps as the ghetto shrank in on itself. Today the building still serves as a bank and it's possible to sneak in during working hours posing as a customer.
