ADDRESS: 18 Nowy Świat
OPENING DATE: 14th February 1940
The café was founded by the Swedish operetta artist Elna Gistedt. The place, located at 18 Nowy Świat, the artist gained through her contacts at the Swedish Embassy. The entire personnel of the café included some of the most famous artists, great actors and actresses working as waiters, bartenders, doormen, kitchen help and so on. The café attracted crowds of young people every day.
ARTYŚCI ZWIĄZANI Z KAWIARNIĄ
ELNA GISTEDT
WSPOMNIENIA
Privy
I filled it with our own furniture from our own huge apartment, which was damaged during the occupation […].
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
Cutlets
Polish guests were served cutlets and steaks, which they were accustomed to. Of course, it was done secretly. The meat was cut into pieces and covered with a layer of vegetables. […]. The menu was for habitual visitors only, it was written on a thin tissue paper, and the waitresses hid it underneath their blouses, however the majority of guests knew the menu by heart anyway […].
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
Permits
We had a permit to organize four concerts a month for poor children. Apart from that, in great secret, and by selling tickets only to friends, I would give one more concert every week. The misery was so terrible and the willingness to help so high, that such actions were a necessity and there were never too many of them.
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
the place
[…] One of the rooms was the bar and that was where all the hunting trophies of my husband ended up. We borrowed many missing things from our friends. All we needed, that is tables, chairs, lamps, we received from friends.
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
Delicious coffee
Out of one kilogram, we prepared two hundred cups of an excellent coffee, which our guests loved.
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
Menu for the Germans
On the menu there was only one dish approved by the Germans, “Topfgericht”, as well as some soup and vegetables. The Germans were only served that one menu.
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
THE Controller
Of course, the fact that beer was not served did not bother anyone, as our guests could get it if they only wished. Then, a bottle would stay hidden under the table and they drunk it from teacups. When a controller came in, we would say the guest must have brought it himself.
Elna Gistedt, Od operetki do tragedii, Czytelnik, Warszawa 1982
