Abstract: The decades between Poland���s two great uprisings (in 1830-1831 and 1863) were marked by imperial repression of Polish cultural and political life. Polish intellectual circles nevertheless flourished at home and abroad, albeit covertly. Narcyza ��michowska led a group of educated women known as the ���Enthusiasts��� (Entuzjastki), who were united by their commitment to live as independent women despite the intense nationalism that put the nation above all���including class and gender. The Enthusiasts emphasized soro...
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