Biographical Dictionary of Polish Women Classicists: 20th Century

The Biographical Dictionary of Polish Women Classicists: 20th Century offers a glimpse of the historical context of the first hundred years of Classics as studied and researched by Polish women. It provides a brief review of the secondary school system in Poland starting in the nineteenth century and discusses access to university education and to academic careers for women up to the end of the twentieth century. The Dictionary includes almost forty entries presenting women who were all thoroughly trained in the two classical languages regardless of their particular scholarly interests and area of expertise. Among these classicists the most numerous were classical philologists, then archaeologists, ancient historians, philosophers, and finally, high school teachers, all listed in one alphabetical sequence. Some of them considerably increased awareness of classical antiquity in the Polish society and are still well remembered, others are fading from memory. Hopefully, this modest contribution to the history of Classics in Poland will highlight these women’s achievements and save them from oblivion.