Ziemiańska
Encyclopedia
Ziemiańska or Mała Ziemiańska (the name coined after the term ziemianin, meaning member of landed gentry
) was a coffeehouse
in Warsaw
. It was notable as a meeting place of many of Poland's most prominent artists of the inter-war period.
The venture was founded in 1918 at 12, Mazowiecka Street in Warsaw's city centre
. It was officially opened on April 14 of that year and its original owners were Jan Skępski and Karol Albrecht, two prominent pâtissier masters. Initially the cafe consisted only of a small room with several tables, later a gallery above was added with additional tables. The cafe lay roughly halfways between the Warsaw University, the Filharmony, Zachęta
Art Gallery and many notable cultural facilities. Because of that, it started to be frequented by artists of all sorts. Among the most prominent to be frequent guests there were the Skamandrites
, including poets Julian Tuwim
, Antoni Słonimski, Jan Lechoń
, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz and Kazimierz Wierzyński
, as well as their frequent companion Franciszek Fiszer
. The table of the poets occupied the gallery, while one of the tables at the ground floor was reserved for painters and sculptors. Among its owners were Zofia Stryjeńska
, Tadeusz Gronowski
and Henryk Kuna
, but also a poet Bolesław Leśmian. Among frequent guests were also Eugeniusz Bodo
(dubbed the king of Polish actors), Adolf Dymsza, Jadwiga Smosarska, Leon Schiller
, Jerzy Zaruba
, Ludwik Solski
and Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński, who met his future wife there. Another group of guests were politicians, including Poland's prime minister Walery Sławek, minister of foreign affairs Józef Beck
and General Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski
After the initial success, the owners of Ziemiańska opened up several other cafe houses in Warsaw. The most prominent of them (and the largest) was opened nearby, at the corner of Kredytowa and Jasna Street. From then on the original venue at Mazowiecka started to be called "Mała Ziemiańska" (Small Ziemiańska), as opposed to "Duża Ziemiańska", or Big Ziemiańska. The success of the pastries served there allowed the owners to open a similar cafe in Nice
, which however was closed in the 1930s, following protests from French pastry makers.
The Ziemiańska (and the building) ceased to exist during the Warsaw Uprising
. It was not rebuilt.
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
) was a coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. It was notable as a meeting place of many of Poland's most prominent artists of the inter-war period.
The venture was founded in 1918 at 12, Mazowiecka Street in Warsaw's city centre
Sródmiescie
Śródmieście is a Polish word for "city centre". In particular it may refer to the following designated districts:* Śródmieście, Warsaw* Śródmieście, Gdańsk* Śródmieście, Gdynia* Śródmieście, Katowice* Śródmieście, Szczecin* Śródmieście, Wrocław...
. It was officially opened on April 14 of that year and its original owners were Jan Skępski and Karol Albrecht, two prominent pâtissier masters. Initially the cafe consisted only of a small room with several tables, later a gallery above was added with additional tables. The cafe lay roughly halfways between the Warsaw University, the Filharmony, Zachęta
Zacheta
The Zachęta National Gallery of Art, short Zachęta, , is one of Poland's most notable institutions for contemporary art. Situated in the centre of Warsaw, the main aim of the gallery is to present and support primarily Polish contemporary art and artists...
Art Gallery and many notable cultural facilities. Because of that, it started to be frequented by artists of all sorts. Among the most prominent to be frequent guests there were the Skamandrites
Skamander
Skamander was a Polish group of experimental poets founded in 1918 by Julian Tuwim, Antoni Słonimski, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz, Kazimierz Wierzyński and Jan Lechoń....
, including poets Julian Tuwim
Julian Tuwim
Julian Tuwim , sometimes used pseudonym "Oldlen" when writing song lyrics. He was a Polish poet, born in Łódź, Congress Poland, Russian Empire, of Jewish parents, and educated in Łódź and Warsaw where he studied law and philosophy at Warsaw University...
, Antoni Słonimski, Jan Lechoń
Jan Lechon
Leszek Józef Serafinowicz was a Polish poet, literary and theater critic, diplomat, and co-founder of the Skamander literary movement and the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America.-Life:Lechoń studied Polish language and literature at Warsaw University, by...
, Jarosław Iwaszkiewicz and Kazimierz Wierzyński
Kazimierz Wierzynski
Kazimierz Wierzyński was a Polish poet and journalist.-Life:Kazimierz Wierzyński was born in Drohobycz, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, and died in London....
, as well as their frequent companion Franciszek Fiszer
Franciszek Fiszer
Franciszek Fiszer was a Polish bon-vivant, gourmand, erudite and philosopher, a friend of the most notable writers and philosophers of contemporary Warsaw and one of Warsaw's semi-legendary people...
. The table of the poets occupied the gallery, while one of the tables at the ground floor was reserved for painters and sculptors. Among its owners were Zofia Stryjeńska
Zofia Stryjenska
Zofia Stryjeńska - Polish painter, graphic designer, illustrator, stage designer, a representative of art deco, wife of Karol Stryjeński . Together with Tamara de Lempicka, she was the best-known Polish artist of the interwar period.- Biography :Stryjenska was the oldest of six children of...
, Tadeusz Gronowski
Tadeusz Gronowski
Tadeusz Lucjan Gronowski was a Polish graphic artist, architect who worked as an interior designer, painter, and a book illustrator.He is considered to be one of the creators of the Polish modern poster...
and Henryk Kuna
Henryk Kuna
Henryk Kuna was a sculptor, active in the early twentieth century. His long career produced many famous works of arts including several renowned public monuments in his native country of Poland.-Life:...
, but also a poet Bolesław Leśmian. Among frequent guests were also Eugeniusz Bodo
Eugeniusz Bodo
Eugeniusz Bodo was a film director, producer and one of the most popular Polish actors and comedians of the inter-war period. He starred in some of the most popular Polish film productions of the 1930s, including His Excellency, The Shop Assistant, Czy Lucyna to dziewczyna? and Pieśniarz Warszawy...
(dubbed the king of Polish actors), Adolf Dymsza, Jadwiga Smosarska, Leon Schiller
Leon Schiller
Leon Schiller de Schildenfeld was a Polish theater and film director, critic and theoretician. He was also a composer and wrote theater and radio screenplays....
, Jerzy Zaruba
Jerzy Zaruba
Jerzy Zaruba was a Polish graphic artist, stage scenographer and caricaturist; author of satirical drawings, political crèches and illustrations for books and magazines...
, Ludwik Solski
Ludwik Solski
Ludwik Solski , born Ludwik Napoleon Karol Sosnowski,was a Polish stage actor and theatre director. From his stage debut in 1876 until his death he played in nearly a thousand roles.Between 1905 and 1913 he was the director-general of the municipal theatre in Cracow...
and Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński, who met his future wife there. Another group of guests were politicians, including Poland's prime minister Walery Sławek, minister of foreign affairs Józef Beck
Józef Beck
' was a Polish statesman, diplomat, military officer, and close associate of Józef Piłsudski...
and General Bolesław Wieniawa-Długoszowski
After the initial success, the owners of Ziemiańska opened up several other cafe houses in Warsaw. The most prominent of them (and the largest) was opened nearby, at the corner of Kredytowa and Jasna Street. From then on the original venue at Mazowiecka started to be called "Mała Ziemiańska" (Small Ziemiańska), as opposed to "Duża Ziemiańska", or Big Ziemiańska. The success of the pastries served there allowed the owners to open a similar cafe in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, which however was closed in the 1930s, following protests from French pastry makers.
The Ziemiańska (and the building) ceased to exist during the Warsaw Uprising
Warsaw Uprising
The Warsaw Uprising was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance Home Army , to liberate Warsaw from Nazi Germany. The rebellion was timed to coincide with the Soviet Union's Red Army approaching the eastern suburbs of the city and the retreat of German forces...
. It was not rebuilt.