Stefania Wolicka facts for kids

Stefania Wolicka (1851–1937) was a brave Polish historian. She made history by becoming the very first woman to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Zurich in 1875. This was a huge achievement, especially because it was very hard for women to get a university education back then.

Stefania's Early Life and Studies

Stefania Wolicka was born in Warsaw. At that time, Warsaw was part of the Russian Empire. Even though the Russian government tried to stop women from going to university, Stefania was determined to study history.

In 1873, the Russian government made a rule. It told all Russian women studying in other countries to stop their studies and come home. Stefania did not want to stop. She asked for special permission to keep studying, but her request was turned down. She even wrote directly to the Minister of Education, Dmitry Tolstoy, but it did not help.

Challenges for Women Students

The Russian government saw some students in Zurich as a political threat. These students were called the "Fritschi Circle." Because of this, the government managed to get many Russian women students kicked out of the University of Zurich. Some of these students were even put on trial back in Russia.

There is no proof that Stefania was part of this group. However, her name was on a list of 45 female Russian students. All of these students were banned from teaching in the Russian Empire. This forced them to leave Switzerland by January 1, 1874.

Achieving Her Doctorate

Even though she had to leave Switzerland, Stefania Wolicka still earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1875. Her special paper, called a doctoral dissertation, was titled "Griechische Frauengestalten, 1.Teil" (which means Greek Figures of Women, Part 1).

People have called Stefania one of the "first Polish female academicians." She was part of the first group of Polish women to go to university. These women were often described as "heroic individuals" because of how hard they worked to get an education.

Later Life and Work

Stefania Wolicka got married and became known as Stefania Wolicka-Arnd. Her doctoral paper was published in 1875.

She also became an important writer who spoke up for women's rights in Poland. In 1895, she wrote an article called "Twenty five years of the parliamentary struggle for the rights of women." This article was published in a Polish law magazine.

A Pioneer in Education

Stefania Wolicka was the first woman in modern Europe to earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree. Before her, the first woman known to get this degree in Europe was Elena Cornaro. She received her degree in Italy in 1678.

Universities in Switzerland were the first in modern Europe to let women study. Because of this, many women scholars from countries like Poland, Austria, and Belgium moved to Switzerland in the late 1800s to go to university. One example is Isala Van Diest, who became Belgium's first female university graduate and a doctor.

See also

In Spanish: Stefania Wolicka para niños