Aleksandra Czechówna’s two trips “To the waters”– to Iwonicz (1875) and Szczawnica (1880) (Selected Works)

Aleksandra Apolonia Czechówna (1839–1923) was the daughter of Tomasz Czech and Aleksandra nee Zielińska. The journal she was writing for her entire life – almost un interruptedly for 68 years (1856–1923) is kept in the National Archive in Krakow under file no. 29/1582/1–29/1582/44 (former file no. IT 428/1–428/44). It is a great source pre senting cultural and social life of Krakow during the second half of 19th century and first two decades of the 20th century.

During hot summer months people were willing to leave the city. They would often go to the countryside but also the “the waters” – spa towns, which offered not only a ther apeutic activity but also leisure and entertainment. Numerous doctors were more and more often promoting spa treatment. Aleksandra Czechówna, living in Krakow, was also trying to spend the dog days of summer away from the city. She would often visit her family in the countryside or go for trips around Krakow. But to help her health or just accompanying her parents, several times she had also a chance to visit spa towns, mostly Polish ones but also abroad.

The presented two accounts from Aleksandra Czechówna’s trips to “the baths” – to Iwonicz in 1875 and to Szczawnica 1880, create an interesting contributory studies of the daily life of that times when the habit of holiday trips and spa treatment was emerging and developing dynamically.

The text comes from two volumes of Aleksandra Czechówna’s “Journal”: vol. 14 file no. 29/1582/14 (former file no. IT 428/14) and vol. 18, file no. 29/1582/18 (former file no. IT 428/18).

Aleksandra Apolonia Czechówna (1839–1923) was the daughter of Tomasz Czech and Aleksandra nee Zielińska. The journal she was writing for her entire life – almost un interruptedly for 68 years (1856–1923) is kept in the National Archive in Krakow under file no. 29/1582/1–29/1582/44 (former file no. IT 428/1–428/44). It is a great source pre senting cultural and social life of Krakow during the second half of 19th century and first two decades of the 20th century.

During hot summer months people were willing to leave the city. They would often go to the countryside but also the “the waters” – spa towns, which offered not only a ther apeutic activity but also leisure and entertainment. Numerous doctors were more and more often promoting spa treatment. Aleksandra Czechówna, living in Krakow, was also trying to spend the dog days of summer away from the city. She would often visit her family in the countryside or go for trips around Krakow. But to help her health or just accompanying her parents, several times she had also a chance to visit spa towns, mostly Polish ones but also abroad.

The presented two accounts from Aleksandra Czechówna’s trips to “the baths” – to Iwonicz in 1875 and to Szczawnica 1880, create an interesting contributory studies of the daily life of that times when the habit of holiday trips and spa treatment was emerging and developing dynamically.

The text comes from two volumes of Aleksandra Czechówna’s “Journal”: vol. 14 file no. 29/1582/14 (former file no. IT 428/14) and vol. 18, file no. 29/1582/18 (former file no. IT 428/18).