The cultural landscape of 19th-century Volhynia in the pages of the diaries of Ewa and Zygmunt Feliński

Abstract

The article analyzes the memoirs of Ewa and Zygmunt Feliński, which today constitute one of the oldest sources of information about life in Volhynia at the beginning of the 19th century. These are extremely valuable, authentic sources that shed light on the lives of various social groups in Volhynia, on social and cultural processes in the Russian Empire in the first half of the 19th century, as well as on the specific economic conditions of the region and its methods of management. Much attention is devoted to descriptions of the life of the impoverished Polish nobility, the organization of their households, the planning of residential buildings, and the upbringing of children under the outdated Russian educational system. The article also emphasizes the role of the moral and spiritual values upheld in the Feliński family, and through the lens of these worldview principles the memoirists assess the actions of their compatriots in various historical situations. Detailed descriptions of events in Volhynia during the War of 1812, the November Uprising, the repressions following its defeat, as well as events connected with Szymon Konarski’s conspiratorial activity, hold great historical significance in the memoirs of Ewa and Zygmunt. In addition, the memoirs contain descriptions of the distinctive nature and landscapes of Volhynia, including its major cities, towns, and villages. The authors present above all their personal perspective on the era, historical events, and people. Their analyses, commentaries, and evaluations reflect the beliefs and spiritual values typical of the impoverished Polish nobility of the 19th century.