27 mm diameter, 4.32 g, brass Obverse: face value 10 LEI, outer pearl circle	Reverse: pearl circle, inscription ZAHARIA ZENTNER ■ IAŞI -

About the Europa Hotel, the Luther Beer Hall in Piaţa Unirii in Iaşi, and about the entrepreneur Iosef Zentner

According to Schäffer [1], Zaharia Zentner’s business was the Europa Hotel (which included its own restaurant), located at 54 Cuza Vodă Street.

We were unable to find Zaharia Zentner in the SOCEC Yearbook of Greater Romania [2]. Only I. Zentner is mentioned, who owned the Luther Beer Hall at 15 Piaţa Unirii.

We found that I. (Iosef) Zentner was a well-known entrepreneur in Iaşi. In 1910, he operated the "Hotel de Rusia" on Strada Unirii (Russia Hotel on Union Street; "Located in the immediate vicinity of Piaţa Unirii [Union Square] and most government offices. Newly and elegantly furnished rooms — starting from 2 lei per day. First-class restaurant. Café with various recreational games. Tramway stop right at the hotel entrance. Entrepreneor IOSEF ZENTNER guarantees prompt service and reasonable prices”) [3].

In July 1911, "Monitorul Oficial" (Official Gazette) [4] published an information regarding the formation of the company Gold & Zentner, which was established for the purpose of operating the hotel known as "Hotel Europa A. Buch". The firm’s trade name was "Hotel Europa, formerly Buch". P. Gold contributed with 10,000 lei in share capital, while I. Zentner contributed with another 5,000 lei. By January 1912, the company had been dissolved [5], with I. Zentner assuming its assets, a fraction of its liabilities and the lease agreement for Hotel Europa.

I. Motaş, a candle manufacturer from Iaşi, had built some houses on a plot of land he purchased; in 1893, the entrepreneur Adolf Buch established the Hotel Europa (on the upper floor) within these buildings [6].

Postcard circulated in 1900 – Hotel Europa (inside the corner building with two small towers) in Piaţa Unirii, Iaşi

The newspaper "Fulgerul" [The Lightning] informs us that "The new Opler beer hall will soon open in Piaţa Unirii, under the management of Zentner brothers" [7]. Two issues later (that is, two weeks later), the newspaper returns with more precise information. We found that the Czel brothers, owners of the Luther brewery [beer factory] in Bucharest have purchased the building in Piaţa Unirii that once housed the Zimbrul beer hall. The entrepreneur behind the new establishment was I. Zentner, described by the newspaper as "likeable and kind" [8]. Setting up the beer hall had cost the owners 150,000 lei.

In 1914 Iosef Zentner still operated the Luther Beer Hall in Piaţa Unirii ("The premier establishment for both domestic and foreign beverages. First-class cuisine. Hot and cold dishes served at any hour, day or night. [...] The beer house is centrally heated. Monthly subscriptions are available.") as well as the Europa Hotel ("first-class; rooms starting from 3 lei; central heating and electric lighting") [9].

The "Monitorul Oficial" (Official Gazette) of June 3, 1919 [10] informs that the Iaşi Court, via Ordinance No. 9,995 dated April 30, 1919, placed under judicial administration the assets of Austrian subject I. Zentner from Iaşi. It is explicitly stated that this concerns "the business enterprise comprising the Europa Hotel and the Luther Beer Hall in Iaşi, in Piaţa Unirii". In 1925 the Europa Hotel housed the Comenduirea Pieţei [Garrison Headquarters]; the property had been leased by Motaş to an entrepreneur from Podul Iloaiei (a small town near Iaşi), who was attempting to secure a court order for the eviction of the military authorities from the building [11].

In 1923, we find "Iosef Zentner and Zaharia Zentner (Luther)" [12] on a list of "prominent merchants from the center of Iaşi." They signed a telegram addressed to Prime Minister I.I.C. Brătianu, expressing their gratitude to the "First Advisor to the Throne" under whose leadership the government and the representatives of the Liberal Party in the Constituent Assemblies adopted a new constitution, one that recognized full rights for all Jewish citizens of Romania. The clear association between Iosef and Zaharia suggests that Zaharia was, in all likelihood, either Iosef’s son or his brother. In any case, both were members of the city’s elite.

In 1924, the Luther Beer Hall was owned by Ioan Caramalău and Pavel Apostolide, the proprietors of the Tănăsache restaurant [the August 28, 1927, issue of newspaper "Opinia" [Opinion] even lists some prices: 14 lei for a half liter mug, 10 lei for a 1/3 liter mug, and 7 lei for a 1/4 liter mug]. In March 1929, it was closed for renovations. In October 1929 "Opinia" reported that Manasse Sternberg was relocating his beer hall from Lăpuşneanu Street (this was namely the Élisée Beer Hall) to the site of the Luther restaurant in Piaţa Unirii. On October 8, the same newspaper announced that Mr. Sternberg had reopened the Luther Beer Hall and Restaurant. In 1939 the Luther Beer Hall had a new owner, Stănică Cojocaru.

Some information gathered from the press of the time regarding Zaharia Zentner

We could find only little information about Zaharia Zentner in the press of the time. The name is first mentioned in "Monitorul Oficial" (Official Gazette) of March 15, 1915, where it appears on a list of young men who were "removed from military rolls as foreign subjects".

In July 1919 the newspaper "Opinia" from Iaşi announced Zaharia’s engagement: "In an intimate circle, the engagement took place between Miss Fani Rechler and Mr. Zaharia Zentner, the well-known young local merchant" [13].

In 1922 the Zentner family announced at the newspaper the birth of their daughter Sabina [14]. Congratulations were received at family’s residence at Fundacul Lozonski 1.

In 1925, Zaharia lost his wallet and placed an advertisement in the newspaper: "Having lost my wallet which contained various documents and some money, I ask the finder to keep the money and the wallet, but to send the documents via registered mail to the address of Dr. Fruhling on Lozonski Street. Otherwise, I declare all the documents that were in the wallet to be null and void" [15]. He also provided his address: 6 Lozonschi Street.

In 1927, the Zentner family joyfully announced the birth of a daughter, who was given the name Toniline [16].

From "Dimineaţa copiilor" (Children's Morning) no. 576 we found that in 1934 Taniline and Sabinette Zentner address was Café Trianon, Piaţa Unirii, Iaşi [17].

Another newspaper from Iaşi informed us that in 1937 the Zentner family served as godparents for a young couple [18].

Given the denominations of the Zaharia Zentner tokens — 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20 lei [1] — it is reasonable to assume they were used during the interwar period. Since the hotel came under judicial administration after the war and was being used by the Garrison Headquarters in 1925, it is unlikely that the tokens were used there. The Luther Beer Hall also seems an improbable place for their use, as it was under different managements from 1924 onwards. Perhaps they were used at Café Trianon, also located in Piaţa Unirii — a clue being that Zaharia’s daughters had the address there in 1934 (suggesting the business might have belonged to him).

References

1. Schäffer E., România. Jetoane, semne valorice şi mărci, Guttenbrun, 2012.

2. Melbert N., (editor), Anuarul „Socec” al României-Mari. vol. II- provincia, Editura „SOCEC & C^o” S.A., Bucureşti, 1924-1925.

3. * * *, Fulgerul, Iaşi, An III, nr. 6, 6 decembrie 1910.

4. * * *, Monitorul Oficial, Bucureşti, 1 iulie 1911.

5. * * *, Monitorul Oficial, Bucureşti, 8 martie 1912.

6. Mitican I., Din Tîrgu Cucului în Piaţa Unirii. Tehnopress, Iaşi, fără an.

7. * * *, Fulgerul, Iaşi, An IV, nr. 21, 26 martie 1912.

8. * * *, Fulgerul, Iaşi, An IV, nr. 23, 9 aprilie 1912.

9. * * *, Opinia, Iaşi, An XI, nr. 2070, 1 ianuarie 1914.

10. * * *, Monitorul Oficial, Bucureşti, 3 iunie 1919.

11. * * *, Opinia, Iaşi, An XXI, nr. 5322, 27 februarie 1925.

12. * * *, Evreii din Iaşi şi noua Constituţie. Mişcarea, Iaşi, An XVII, nr. 75, 4 aprilie 1923.

13. * * *, Opinia, Iaşi, An XV, nr. 3650, 18 iulie 1919.

14. * * *, Opinia, Iaşi, An XIX, nr. 4680, 28 decembrie 1922.

15. * * *, Opinia, Iaşi, An XXI, nr. 5447, 29 iulie 1925.

16. * * *, Opinia, Iaşi, An XXIII, nr. 6043, 16 iulie 1927.

17. * * *, Lumea, Iaşi, An XX, nr. 5744, 13 iunie 1937.

18. * * *, Dimineaţa copiilor, An XII, nr. 576, 1935.