Café ‘t Mandje

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

© Sem Presser, 1966, Bet van Beeren, Café Violetta, Zeedijk 52, Amsterdam

From 1927 until her death in 1967, Bet van Beeren (“Queen of the Zeedijk”)was the legendary proprietress of Café ‘t Mandje, one of the first cafés where gays and lesbians did not have to hide their homosexual inclinations. Sem Presser photographed Bet in front of Café Violetta, across the street from her own café.

Meeting place for gays and lesbians

Bet realised at a young age that she was attracted to women, and was not in the least embarrassed about her lesbian orientation. Café ‘t Mandje became a famous meeting place for gays and lesbians, in an era when homosexuality was still far from acceptable. Not everything was permitted, however: same-sex kissing was not allowed, and only on Koninginnedag (the queen’s official birthday) could women dance with women and men with men. Nor was Café ‘t Mandje a truly homosexual café: the clientele consisted of a motley crowd of sailors, entertainers, pimps and curiosity seekers from the provinces. A visit was not without its risks: when she was drunk, Bet sometimes cut off the men’s ties and hung them up in the café as decoration.

The café closes

After her death in 1967, Bet lay in state for three days on her own billiard table. Her sister Greet ran the café for another few years, but the atmosphere on the Zeedijk deteriorated so much, owing to the heroin addicts who frequented the area, that Café ‘t Mandje finally shut its doors. (+)