Born: 2 February 1863, Belarus
Died: 16 November 1944
Country most active: Poland
Also known as: NA
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.
Maria Rodziewiczówna was born in Pieniuha, Grodno Governorate (now Belarus) in 1863. Her parents were sent to Siberia for their role in the January Uprising. After an amnesty, they were allowed to return and reunite with their children, who had been left with various family members. They settled in Warsaw. Rodziewiczówna later took over their family land estate in Hruszowa (now in Belarus) and lived there for the rest of her life. During that time, she participated in various patriotic and social welfare activities.
Rodziewiczówna is mainly remembered as a writer, one of the most famous of the interwar years. Her works often addressed patriotism and rural life and praised the countryside and peasantry. Rodziewiczówna is also noted for advocating for women’s rights. Her writings include “Wrzos” (Heather), “Dewajtis,” “Lato leśnych ludzi” (Summer of the Forest People), “Straszny dziadunio” (Eerie Grandpa).
Although she never publicly commented on her sexuality, she spent her life with Helena Weychert and Jadwiga Skirmuntt, and their arrangement was that Maria would spend a few winter months in Warsaw with Helena and the rest of the year in Hruszowa with Jadwiga. Rodziewiczówna died in 1944.