Cukiernia Europejska na tle kawiarniano-restauracyjnych tradycji pałacu Pod Krzysztofory

THE EUROPEJSKA COFFEE SHOP IN THE LIGHT OF CAFÉ LIFE AND DINING TRADITIONS AT KRZYSZTOFORY PALACE The Europejska Coffe Shop (Kawiarnia Europejska) located on the ground floor of Krzysztofory Palace, to the left of the entrance hall, boasts a history of over eighty years. Over that long period both its ownership, and its decor changed as the place transformed from an art deco coffee shop into an art nouveau restaurant café and bar in the style of early 20th century Viennese establishments. The Europejska cultivates the rich café life and dining traditions of Krzysztofory Palace that originate from the 1870s. The first coffee shop in the palace was opened in 1874 by Stanisław Rehman and soon became the preferred purlieu of the local intelligentsia. The Hawełka Restaurant, established in the 1880s and currently operating in the nearby Spiski Palace, also had its first location here. All gastronomic establishments had to leave the place in 1913 due to the scheduled demolition of the building, however, the demolition plan was effectively thwarted by the outbreak of WWI. In 1918, when the war was over and Poland had regained sovereignty, Krzysztofory Palace became state property and home to a number of state institutions. In 1928 two Kraków confectioners, Leon Siewierski and Kazimierz Danek established a firm and rented three rooms (together with back rooms) on the ground floor of the palace, planning to open a coffee shop there by the name of Europejska. The rooms had not been used since the war. After the necessary renovation and refurbishing works had been completed, Kraków’s new coffee shop was eventually opened on 11 September 1929. The interior of the Europejska was designed in the thoroughly modern art deco style which was very fashionable at the time. The decor and all the furnishings were first-class works of functional art and had been designed especially for that specific place. The words that best described it were: refinement, elegance, and particular attention to detail. The customized furniture, lighting, as well as polychrome decorations and stucco ceilings had all been made-to-order to form an original, self-contained whole. This was complemented by the mirrors which imparted a sense of poshness to the interior. The coffee shop must have enjoyed great popularity among Cracovians, as a confectionary workshop located at 13 Karmelicka Street was soon added to the business. The new place functioned as a bakery, but also as storage area to accommodate the company’s large food supplies. The popularity of the establishment was also reflected in the company’s impressive annual turnover which in 1938 exceeded 100,000 zlotys. Kazimierz Danek managed to keep his coffee shop running throughout the Nazi German occupation period, and the big change did not come until the end of WWII, as the new, Communist regime was introduced in Poland. In 1949 the Europejska, together with its decor, fittings, and entire property was nationalized and leased to the Gastronom Cooperative. In 1958 the place was refurbished, which included repainting of the walls (it was probably at that point that the polychrome decorations which by then had probably become tatty were removed), and the partial replacement of the furniture (the new pieces of furniture were modelled after the original, antique ones). An interesting fact from the postwar history of this place is that in 1968 a few scenes from the popular television series Stawka większa niż życie [More than life at stake] were shot there. In 1965 the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków acquired Krzysztofory Palace to organize its seat here, and immediately undertook the necessary measures to move the coffee shop to another location. However, due to the negative opinion issued by the Kraków Śródmieście District Office, the case was closed for some time. Despite certain alterations introduced during the refurbishment and renovation works carried out in the 1950s and 1970s, the extraordinary singularity of the design and the first-class artistic decor of the coffee shop were fully appreciated and recognized as deserving to be covered by conservational care. In 1990 the furnishings were entered in the heritage list, which, it seemed, was supposed to guarantee their proper preservation. In 1997 the Europejska was one of the last quality eating places in Kraków to be transferred back to private ownership. Conservation officials had agreed to move some of the coffee shop’s antique furniture to the Warszawianka Restaurant at 4 Dunajewskiego Street – a destination it would never reach. The new owner was obligated to preserve the original character of the place, carry out the necessary renovation and repair works and purchase the period furnishings from the previous owner. This plan, however, was not to be accomplished. The interior of the coffee house was redesigned and redecorated. Although the original decor was partly preserved, the new dominant style was that of art nouveau and early 20th century Viennese establishments, while the collection of original period furniture that made up one of the few coherent art deco interiors was, alas, dispersed.