„Mothers of the nations” – Česká Skalice, The Granny’s Valley
Fact of the Czech figure „Women education in Czechia”
Part of the „The emancipation of women” topic
The picturesque valley in the vicinity of Ratibořice in Bohemia serves as a testament to the enduring popularity of 19th-century literary culture, which directly influenced the landscape. Shortly after the publication of Božena Němcová’s iconic novel Babička in 1855, the valley where the author grew up began to be associated with the novel, gradually being reshaped to resemble the literary portrayal. The novel is influenced by Biedermeier, a middle-class artistic and lifestyle movement from the first half of the 19th century. Czech female authors who participated in the national revival, such as Němcová, Karolina Světlá, and their predecessor Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová, hailed from this bourgeois milieu.
Rettigová was actively involved within the women’s emancipation movement, particularly in educating girls and introducing them to Czech literature. Her significant contributions include short stories for youth and practical books, notably The Household Cookbook (1826). Similarly, for K. Světlá, as with Němcová, female protagonists and rural settings are characteristic of her literary work, as the rural population was seen as the foothold of the national community. Světlá was also an active participant in the women’s movement and co-founded the American Ladies’ Club and the Czech Women’s Production Association, dedicated to education and charity (1871).
