An organic electroluminescent display element has at least a positive electrode, an organic luminescent film, an electron injection layer and a negative electrode. Each of the positive and negative electrodes is formed of a transparent conductive film, the electron injection layer is formed of a thin transparent film made of a halogenide of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, or an organic metal complex containing an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal as a metal, and the organic metal complex is at least one complex selected from the group consisting of acetylacetonate complexes, alpha-nitroso-beta-naphthol complexes, salicylaldoxime complexes, cupferron complexes, benzoinoxime complexes, bipyridine complexes, phenanthroline complexes, crown complexes, proline complexes and benzoylacetone complexes.