%0 Journal Article
%T The Great War in the “Journal” of Aleksandra Czechówna (part IV: 1 January – 29 December 1917)
%A Lesiak-Przybył, Bożena
%J Krakow Archives Annual
%V 2017
%R 10.4467/12332135KRA.17.007.14661
%N XXIII
%P 181-215
%K World War I, Krakow, journal, daily life, Aleksandra Czechówna
%@ 1233-2135
%D 2021
%U https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/krakowski-rocznik-archiwalny/article/wielka-wojna-w-dzienniku-aleksandry-czechowny-czesc-iv-1-stycznia-29-grudnia-1917-r
%X Aleksandra Czechówna (1839–1923) was the daughter of Tomasz Czech and Aleksandra, née Zielińska. Her “Journal from the whole life...”, written for almost 70 years (1856– 1923), is stored in the National Archives in Krakow, ref. no. 29/1582/1–29/1582/44 (former ref. no. IT 428/1–428/44). It represents a great source that depicts the cultural, social and daily life of Krakow in the second half of the 19th century, and the first two decades of the 20th century. The text placed here comes from two volumes of the “Journal”: volume 41, ref. no. 29/1582/41 (former ref. no. IT 428/41) and volume 42, ref. no. 29/1582/42 (former ref. no. IT 428/42). It represents a continuation of the entries concerning the first three years of World War I and describes the fourth year of the ongoing fight (see “Krakowski Rocznik Archiwalny” 2014, vol. 20, pp. 111–132; 2015, vol. 21, pp. 133–163; 2016, vol. 22, pp. 139–170). The presented text was written by a perceptive observer of events of great importance for Poles. The author mainly used press reports and clerical announcements, but also made use of personal accounts. The description of the situation is, therefore, incomplete, especially with regard to politics. It does, however, provide a wide range of information about the events taking place on the eastern front as well as in Krakow. It paints a picture of the increasingly difficult daily life, full of worries, sacrifices and shortages, of the residents of the city in the next year of the ongoing war. It also provides a description of the feeling of Poles, their constant uncertainty, fears and great expectations connected with recreating a Polish state. A. Czechówna was worried in particular by events in Russia and the fears concerning their potential influence on the war.