Afternoon Tea as It Was One Hundred Years Ago
The tradition of afternoon tea and the ways in which Lodz industrialist families spent their leisure time at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and during the interwar period will be the central theme of the event. Participants will have an opportunity to experience the atmosphere of historical social gatherings and learn about customs related to etiquette, fashion, salon conversations and the serving of tea and coffee characteristic of the era. The event will be brought to life by the “Ziemia Obiecana” historical re-enactment group, an exceptional community of enthusiasts eager to take visitors on a journey through time. Drawing on reliable and thoroughly researched sources, they recreate the lives of Lodz residents from bygone times. Thanks to their work, visitors will be able to see the diversity of two social groups of the period, the working class and the industrialist class. These are not merely costumes or disguises but a genuine lesson in living history and the art of of historical reconstruction.
The afternoon tea gathering will be enriched by a performance by one of the event’s partners, Namysto Choir, which has been active in Lodz for the past three years, bringing together local residents through a shared passion for singing and charitable activities. The choir is conducted by Tetiana Łopuga, while its founder is Iryna Stepas, a folk craft artist and the creator of Namysto Fest, the first festival of its kind in Europe. The choir’s repertoire is not only a showcase of vocal talent but, above all, an emotional journey and a form of support for those in need.
Following the performance, visitors will be able to explore three palace interiors featuring scenes depicting the everyday life of the industrialist family:
- The Industrialist’s Study will tell the story of the family business and the operation of the factory. Visitors will see original documents from the period, printed ephemera and objects connected with the Biedermann’s factory.
- The Industrialist’s Dining Room will present early twentieth-century table-setting etiquette and the work of domestic staff in the industrialist palace. The display will be arranged among original silver-plated tableware, porcelain, crystal glassware, and a historic samovar dating from 1899.
- The Lady of the House’s Boudoir will introduce visitors to trends in women’s fashion from the beginning of the twentieth century, as well as the management of an industrialist household. The presentation will be complemented by reconstructed dresses from the first decade of the twentieth century.
The programme will conclude with a screening of short documentary films devoted to the history of Lodz industrialist families, the city’s industrial heritage, its architecture and its residents. The following productions will be screened:
- “Ballada o Łodzi” [Ballad of Lodz] (1957), directed by Stanisław Kokesz
- “Pałace Ziemi Obiecanej” [Palaces of the Promised Land] (1967), directed by Leszek Skrzydło
- "Łódź 550” [Lodz 550] (1973), directed by Tadeusz Stefanek
The films are noteworthy not only for their subject matter but also for their local origins, as they were produced by the Educational Film Studio in Lodz. The Lodz Educational Film Studio boasts a tradition spanning more than 75 years and has served as a creative training ground for renowned figures such as Juliusz Machulski, Krzysztof Komeda, and Andrzej Barański.
We Invite You to the Biedermann's Palace
“Podwieczorek u Biedermanna” [Afternoon Tea at the Biedermanns’] offers a rare opportunity to step back in time and see Lodz through the eyes of its former residents, industrialists, their families and their servants, people who helped shape the city’s history.
The event is open to all.
Partnership for Heritage and Revitalisation
The event is also organised as part of European Heritage Days 2026, a recurring cultural, social and educational initiative. During a September weekend, even monuments that are normally inaccessible open their doors to visitors, while participants in numerous meetings, lectures and workshops have an opportunity to discover both national history and culture as well as regional and local heritage.
The University of Lodz event is also being carried out within a partnership for revitalisation. The Wschodnia Street Festival is, above all, an opportunity for people to meet, cooperate, get to know one another and discover what takes place behind the doors of studios, galleries, museums, libraries and commercial premises on a daily basis. Wschodnia Street will become a space where residents can meet the people who contribute to its history and see how many valuable initiatives are developed there every day. The festival is not only an undertaking aimed at activating the local community but also an effort to create an open space for dialogue, creativity, and neighbourhood integration.
Edit: Wiktoria Świątczak (Centre for Organising Cultural Events and Conferences, University of Lodz)
