Literatencafés, Wiener

Literary Cafés, Viennese: The Vienna coffeehouse played an important role in the literary life of the city. As early as the 18^th century artists and writers gathered in the coffeehouse "Zum Kramer" in the old Schlossergäßchen around M. Denis and A. Blumauer. During the Vormärz pre-revolutionary period the "Silbernes Kaffeehaus" in Plankengasse was a meeting place for writers, actors, art lovers and politicians. In 1877 the coffeehouse "Café Griensteidl" opened at Michaelerplatz, up to 1897 it was the social centre for the writers of "Junges Wien" (Young Vienna) (Bahr, A. Schnitzler, R. Beer-Hofmann, F. Salten, H. v. Hofmannsthal). Other important coffeehouses for Viennese literary circles were the "Café Herrenhof" and, above all, the "Café Central" in Herrengasse, where the circle around P. Altenberg met. After 1945 the "Café Raimund" became the gathering place for young writers around H. Weigel. Today writers,artists and actors usually meet in "Café Eiles" or "Café Museum".