polski | English | lietuvių | беларуская | русский | français
The Philomaths’ Archive – Digital Edition
The Philomaths’ Archive is a unique collection of documents related to the activities of the secret Philomaths Society and other youth organisations active at the University of Vilnius between 1817 and 1823. While many of the materials gathered here originate from individuals not directly associated with the Society, it was its members — including Adam Mickiewicz, Jan Czeczot, Franciszek Malewski, Tomasz Zan, and Józef Jeżowski — who imbued these documents with particular significance and historical context.
This archive represents an invaluable repository of knowledge about Polish culture during the second and third decades of the 19th century, as well as the early stages of Romanticism in Poland. It comprises literary works, correspondence, meeting minutes, official documents, and even shopping and subscription lists. Each document tells its own story, offering a glimpse into the era — from grand intellectual ideals to the everyday lives of young Philomaths.
The history of the Archive is as dramatic as its contents. Initially held by the Pietraszkiewicz family, it was later dispersed and partially concealed during the Second World War. Today, the documents are scattered across three cities in two countries. The primary goal of this digital edition was to restore the original unity of the collection and continue the scholarly efforts initiated by eminent researchers such as Józef Kallenbach, Jan Czubek, Stanisław Szpotański, Stanisława Pietraszkiewiczówna, Czesław Zgorzelski, and Zbigniew Sudolski.
What is the Digital Edition of the Philomaths’ Archive?
The digital edition is not merely a digitised version of an analogue publication. It is a comprehensive project combining traditional documentary and critical editing with modern tools and methods of digital humanities. All documents have been scanned, provided with metadata, and enriched with linguistic and philological commentary. Texts from the Lublin section of the archive have been transliterated, and literary works have been prepared in a newly revised critical format.
Due to the specific nature of the digital medium, the layout of the content differs from traditional printed publications. Information usually found in a single editorial note has been divided into several sections, accessible across different tabs of the platform. Here, users will find instructions on how to navigate the visualisation tool, details about the history of the Archive, and guidelines on the editorial principles applied to the texts.
The Aim and Future of the Project
The digital edition of the Philomaths’ Archive is the result of a project funded by the National Programme for the Development of Humanities (Project No. 11H 18 0056 86). Upon the project’s completion, we will publish a detailed report outlining our activities to share our experiences with other research teams working on similar endeavours.
We invite you to explore the Philomaths’ Archive in its new digital form. May it serve not only as a source of knowledge but also as an inspiration for further research into our history and culture.