Autor/ka:
Marcin Maszewski

From the Series: Being out of Home. Where to Spend New Year's Eve?

This year, the answer to this question is quite simple. However, it used to be different. Advertisements published in the press tell us where New Year's Eve was spent in interwar Poland. Just reading them puts you in a great mood – see for yourselves.

New Year's Eve in Warsaw

The choice of places was very wide, as reported in December 1938 by Kurier Warszawski – the most popular Warsaw newspaper at the time, published twice (sic!) a day. I invite you to read the advertisements that describe how organizers of New Year's Eve balls and parties encouraged people to spend the last hours of the old year and celebrate the New Year:

New Year's Eve in interwar Warsaw

New Year's Eve in interwar Warsaw 2

New Year's Eve in interwar Warsaw 3

New Year's Eve in Warsaw_4

New Year's Eve in Warsaw_5

These places can no longer be found on the map of Warsaw. Perhaps some remember Cafe Club from history lessons.
But there are also advertisements for places that still exist today:

New Year's Eve in Warsaw _6

Pre-war Warsaw was a multicultural city. Here is an example of how the newspaper 5-ta Rano – a non-partisan Jewish daily – encouraged its readers to spend New Year's Eve:

New Year's Eve in Vilnius

Vilnius also had a rich offer of events for the last day of the year.
I present a few invitations from Kurier Wileński from 1930.

New Year's Eve in Vilnius

New Year's Eve in Vilnius 2

New Year's Eve in Vilnius 3

Meanwhile in Krakow

People had just as much fun in Krakow.
Below are advertisements from 1938 published in Ilustrowany Kurier Codzienny.

New Year's Eve in Krakow

LVOV

Of course, Lviv was also among the leading cities; below are advertisements published in 1938 in Dziennik Polski:

New Year's Eve in Lviv

Those who did not wish to spend an organized New Year's Eve could take advantage of offers from other places.
Their assortment invariably contributes to a festive mood:

Where to get wine

Where to get wine

I don't know if I will raise a New Year's toast with “Bordeaux” or “Champagne” wines in a few days, but I know what I will wish for myself and for you. Namely, that we may as often as possible, healthy and peaceful, always when we need and want to, be out of home.