Życie kulturalno-oświatowe i działalność dobroczynna elit w Nałęczowie w latach 1880-1914

Abstract

The 19th century was a period of significant progress in the development of medicine in Europe, and balneology was becoming a recognized and important discipline of knowledge. To accommodate all those wishing to restore their health or seeking appropriate conditions for relaxation, alongside new climatic stations and health resorts, former bath establishments were revived. Despite strong political oppression, even in Nałęczów, in the Lublin Governorate, the Health Resort was reactivated. The presented work attempts to synthetically capture the issues related to the cooperation of medical and social circles for the benefit of the poor in the provinces, in line with the slogans of "grassroots work" and "organic work" propagated in the second half of the 19th century, the realization of which, despite certain failures, was still necessary in the first decades of the 20th century. The research objectives, divided into three areas, were formulated as follows: - determining the role played by representatives from the circles of medics and intellectuals in organizing cultural, educational, and charitable activities in Nałęczów, - identifying the types of initiatives undertaken in the health resort in the field of educational work and philanthropy, - analyzing the methods used to obtain funds to cover the costs of educational and charitable activities. The work is organized in a problem-chronological structure. The text consists of an introduction, four chapters, a conclusion, bibliography, and an annex.