A painting showing the Hercegprímás street, with the Matthias Church in the background.

Most of the orders came over Christmas, New Year’s Eve and the Farsang carnival season. It was customary even in those days to buy the walnut and poppy crescent cakes from a confectioner. During the Farsang carnival season the customers also came to buy cakes, doughnuts, ice cream, various creams, bonbons as well as cold dishes. On family occasions it was customary to order inscriptions with good wishes and, at request, the confectioner lent out dishes, glasses and cutlery in those days.
Regarding the clients of Ruszwurm, the dignitaries, archdukes and barons came to buy sweets in boxes decorated with the picture of the royal family, the Matthias Church or the castle. Ida Ferenczy came every day to buy breakfast, ice coffee, fine potcake and mint bars for Queen Elisabeth. She also took Ruszwurm products with her when leaving Buda for trips.
The old Ruszwurm was a characteristic figure with his white apron, white hat and white hair, with his white moustache bending down on both sides of his mouth. The chronicles write about his wife: “She is a fragile, toddling lady ... her clothes are old-fashioned, she wears an antique black breast-pin, as if she had been left here from the Biedermeier world.” Sándor Nádas thinks back on her as follows: “At times an elderly lady comes out of the kitchen. Her back is bent, but she is very neat and tidy. She is bringing cakes on a tray. She puts them down and hurries out. She feels ashamed in front of many people, although she could have got used to it in 50-60 years.”

The Ruszwurm in the early 1960s.

There are also memories of an employee: the graceful and soft-voiced Heléna Weinberger worked 42 years in the confectionery. In her snow-white, laced clothes and with her golden fringe of hair she was a smiling beauty, the real soul of the place.
Ruszwurm retired in 1922 and passed on the business to his colleague, Ferenc Tóth, who not only kept the professional level but also made developments. He worked for the company as an assistant from 1909; when he was an apprentice in Szolnok, he had to whistle while making bonbons.

(Imre Gundel-Judit Harmath: “Memories in the Catering Industry”, Publisher of Economics and Law, 1979)

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