Philomaths

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Philomaths and Philarets: Tomasz Zan, Ignacy Domejko, Adam Mickiewicz, Antoni Edward Odyniec, Jan Czeczot. Picture produced in 1899.
Philomaths and Philarets: Tomasz Zan, Ignacy Domejko, Adam Mickiewicz, Antoni Edward Odyniec, Jan Czeczot. Picture produced in 1899.

The Philomaths, or Philomath Society (Polish: Filomaci or Towarzystwo Filomatów; from the Greek philomathes, "lovers of knowledge"), was a secret Polish student organization that existed from 1817 to 1823 at the Imperial University of Vilna.

The society was created on 1 October 1817 in Vilna (Polish Wilno, now Vilnius, Lithuania), Vilna Governorate, Russian Empire (which acquired those territories following the partitions of Poland - or the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth - in 1794). The society was composed of Polish students and alumni of the Imperial University (formerly the Stefan Batory University, now Vilnius University).

Notable members included Józef Jeżowski (co-founder and president), Jan Czeczot (co-founder), Józef Kowalewski (co-founder), Onufry Pietraszkiewicz (co-founder), Tomasz Zan (co-founder), Adam Mickiewicz (co-founder), Antoni Edward Odyniec, Ignacy Domejko, Teodor Łoziński, Franciszek Malewski, Jan Sobolewski, Aleksander Chodźko. Most of them were students, but some members and supported included faculty and former alumni.

Its structure was a cross between freemason organization and a learned society. It was divided into two chapters - scientific-mathematic and literary. The members of the latter discussed literary works, and the organization aims were self-educational and didactic; however around 1819-1820 the members became split on whether the organizations should concentrate on self-education (Jeżowski) or take a more active role in restoring Poland's independence (Mickiewicz), eventually the second faction gained dominance and new social and political goals emerged.

The discussions increasingly turned toward romanticist Polish literature that was banned by the Russian Empire for its pro-independence currents; history of Poland (or perhaps more correct, history of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) was studied, pro-independence works written and circulated. The organizations inspired the creation of many similar youth organizations across the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania,[1] and it established ties with similar clandestine pro-Polish organizations in Congress Poland and the rest of partitioned lands, such as the Patriotic Society (Towarzystwo Patriotyczne) of Walerian Łukasiński, and even Russian organizations such as the Decembrists.[1]

Two closely-related groups were formed in 1820:

  • The Radiant Association (Towarzystwo Promienistych, from "promieniści," the "Radiant Ones"), a legal organization created by Tomasz Zan, and disbanded under pressure from University authorities, in May 1820;
  • The Filaret Association (Zgromadzenie Filaretów, Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Pożytecznej Zabawy, filareci, from the Greek "philáretos," "Lovers of Virtue), a secret organization created by Zan within the Philomaths after the dissolution of the Radiants. It continued the traditions of the Radiants, but with a much clearer pro-independence goal, and was dedicated to the study of Polish patriotic literature. It was disbanded in 1823 after the arrests of the Philomaths.
Students' Exile: Polish students are exiled to Siberia. Painting by Jacek Malczewski, 1891.
Students' Exile: Polish students are exiled to Siberia. Painting by Jacek Malczewski, 1891.

In 1822 the organizations went through some name changes. In 1823 the organization was discovered by Russian authorities led by Nikolay Nikolayevich Novosiltsev. After a trial that lasted several months, in 1824, 108 people were convicted of membership in this or related organizations; 20 members of Philomathes and related organizations were sentenced to imprisonment or katorga and exiled to Siberia; over a dozen faculty members were dismissed (including historian Joachim Lelewel).

Plaque on Vilnius building where Mickiewicz, Domeyko and other Philomaths were imprisoned during their trials, October 23, 1823 – April 21, 1824. "Scene of Forefathers' Eve, part III."
Plaque on Vilnius building where Mickiewicz, Domeyko and other Philomaths were imprisoned during their trials, October 23, 1823 – April 21, 1824. "Scene of Forefathers' Eve, part III."

Adam Mickiewicz, one of the Three Polish Bards, convicted of being a Philomath member and exiled into Russia, later described his experiences in that period in the third part of a major work, Dziady (Forefathers' Eve).

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b WIEM Encyklopedia

[edit] Further reading