Sytuacja służących kobiet w kontekście winy, kary i działań pomocowych…na obszarach Krakowa w XIX wieku
Situation of Women-Maidservants in the Context of Guilt, Punishment and Supporting Operations in Cracow in 19th Century

Summary/Abstract: This article presents the problem of a difficult situation of women-maidservants in Cracow in the 19th century. This social group migrating mainly from distant areas of Galicia or two other annexations in search of work, was liable to various dangers resulting from social and economic conditions typical for big towns at that time. Cracow seemed to be a place where their difficult life situation can be changed and poverty which had been a part of their life since childhood would belong to the past. Unfortunately, these expectations did not meet the reality, which the women-maidservants found out about when they came to Cracow. They could not change their decision, they did not have any money and home, which resulted in making a quick decision of becoming a maidservant without proper skills and experience. The situation was so dramatic that there was no law regulations considering both maidservants and their employers’ duties. When the law regulations were introduced the situation did not change as maidservants were still treated as property which could be used without any limits. This was a source of conflicts, maidservants’ revolts, leaving the households, frequent thefts and oral and physical aggression. These were the situations when they broke the law, experienced being arrested, being birched, fines and also pillorying. Supporting operations organized within charity operations were the only help at that time.The content of this article is based on thorough research of 19th century documents which belong to National Archive in Cracow.

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