Koolchick's Kaffe is named after our proprietress Adriana Kulczycky, whose ancestor, Yuri Frantz, played a crucial role in bringing coffee and the whole culture of coffeehouses to Vienna in the late 17th century. Here is his story…
George Franz Kolschitzky (the Viennese spelling of the name) was born in 1640 in Ruthenian Ukraine, then under Polish rule. As a youth he became a soldier and interpre
ter because of his proficiency with languages. Captured by the Turks, he perfected their language, and learned the Turkish way of life and its culture. Bought out of slavery by Serbian merchants, he later ended up in Vienna (where he also mastered German, Hungarian and Romanian), and established himself as a translator and importer of oriental goods. In 1683, Vienna came under siege by the Turkish Empire. Due to his knowledge of the Turks, the defenders of Vienna appointed him to become their envoy, to take messages to their allies, the Holy Roman Empire and the King of Poland. Disguised as a Turk, and jauntily singing Turkish tunes, he was able to make his way through enemy lines, where he not only delivered vital messages from Vienna, but in turn brought back heartening news that help was on its way. These glad tidings boosted the morale of the citizens of Vienna, and strengthened the determination of the garrison to hold the city. On September 11, 1683, the promised help arrived, and within two days the Turks were defeated. When the Turks retreated, they left everything behind, including a large number of tents, livestock, grain and around 500 sacks of mysterious beans, some Viennese thought to be camel fodder. The Viennese had no idea what to make of the of the beans, and were going to throw them in the river. When news of the sacks reached Kolschitzky, who was very familiar with coffee from his days spent with the Turks, he asked for the beans as partial payment for his service during the siege. Treated as somewhat crazy, Kolschizty was personally presented with the “camel fodder” by the King of Poland, as well as, more practically, a large sum of money and, after insistent demands, a building on one of Vienna’s best streets. Kolschitzky took the beans, and began to serve small cups of Turkish coffee door to the door to the Viennese. By adding milk and sugar, it quickly became a popular refreshing beverage. In 1686, Kolschitzky and his wife opened one of the first coffeehouses in Vienna, “Under the Blue Bottle.” They served their coffee with a new pastry shaped like the crescent moon of the Turkish battle flag to celebrate Kolschitzky’s help in the grand defeat; the pastry is now known to the world as the croissant. Kolschitzky played a major role in creating what soon became a famous Viennese, and now worldwide, institution. Kolschitzky is celebrated in Vienna with a statue, and a street named in his honor. Once a year, Viennese cafés hang his picture in their window. So, without Kolschitzky there would be no Koolchick's Kaffe today.
