Mary Sheepshanks podróże do Austro-Węgier (wiosna 1913). Elementy biografii publicznej
Mary Sheepshanks’ Travels to Austria-Hungary (Spring 1913). Elements of Public Biography

Summary/Abstract: The article is a reconstruction of unknown elements of Mary Sheepshanks’ public bio- graphy related to her journey to Austria-Hungary in the spring of 1913, during which she gave lectures in Vienna, Prague, Cracow, Lviv and Stanislavov. The highlight of this journey was Sheepshanks’ participation in the women’s congress in Budapest in June 1913, and her subsequent appointment as an editor of the world-famous feminist journal Jus Suffragii. The article collects and discusses press testimonies, i.e. announcements and lecture reports published in newspapers and magazines in German and Polish. They create a picture of the reception of the content of Sheepshanks’ speeches in the social space and reflect the accompanying atmosphere as well as the attitude of journalists. This is a completely different source than a private biography, which can be reconstructed on the basis of letters and various personal documents. The press materials allow for a more comprehensive understanding of the complex political context accompanying Sheepshanks’ tours, which have been interpreted as a mission to recognide the situation of the feminist movement in Austria-Hungary before the Budapest congress. The article reconstructs elements of the context that are important for understanding this mission, such as the issue of the organisers of Sheepshanks’ lectures (noted in the announcements), or the seemingly trivial issue of her empathic behaviour and tastefully chosen clothing, noticed in more detailed reports.

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