Born: 16 March 1883, Poland
Died: 27 September 1939
Country most active: Poland
Also known as: Inka, Jadzia Szembekówna
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Jadwiga Beatryksa Maria Szeptycka, known as Inka, was born in 1883 on the Siemianice estate in Kępiński poviat, the daughter of Count Piotr Szembek and Maria née Fredrów. As a teenager, she received a comprehensive home education and co-founded the Association of Polish Children and a clandestine school teaching Polish history and language. The school operated from 1898 to 1904 in Siemianice and nearby areas.
In 1897, alongside her sister Zofia, Inka initiated archaeological research in a Roman-period cemetery in her hometown under the supervision of Bolesław Erzepki. The findings were published in the “Report on archaeological searches carried out in recent years in Siemianice” (1902).
Beyond archaeology, Inka delved into the folk culture of Greater Poland. She collected folk songs, rituals, customs, and architectural details, collaborating with Seweryn Udziela. Their work resulted in “Contributions to the Ethnography of Wielkopolska” (1906) and her sister’s “Further Contributions to the Ethnography of Greater Poland” (1912).
In October 1902, Inka married Leon Szeptycki, her cousin, with papal dispensation. She ensured that their wedding honored local folk traditions and moved to Przyłbice near Jaworów, where they raised eight children. Inka continued her ethnographic research and authored poems, novels, histories, and translations.
She maintained an active role in the Catholic Church, explaining the Byzantine Rite Divine Liturgy to Roman Rite followers in 1926. In Przyłbice, she established a fruit tree nursery for rural residents and founded orphanages in Przyłbice and Bruchnal, supporting local schools.
During World War II, Inka and her husband set up an emergency hospital for refugees and soldiers at their manor. In 1939, as German and Soviet troops breached Polish borders, they ensured their children’s safety but remained on the estate. On September 27, Soviet NKVD officers arrived and executed Leon; Inka chose to share his fate. While they perished, their children survived.