The Image of the Caucasus in the Memoirs of Polish Exiles in the 19th Century

• In Event: Forging Frontiers: Identity, Representation, and Alienation in Imperial Russia's Borderlands

Abstract

In the 19th century, Poland was part of the Russian Empire. Poles opposed the tsarist authorities, defending the right to their native language, participating in conspiratorial circles or even organizing armed uprisings. The consequence of this activity was very often exile to the Caucasus, called Southern Siberia at that time, where the Caucasian War (1817-1864) was ongoing. The aim of the paper is to review selected memories of Polish authors (Mateusz Gralewski, Karol Kalinowski, Teofil Łapiński, Zygmunt Rewkowski, Władysław Strzelecki). I am going to conduct research regarding the image of the Caucasus in several pieces of writing. An overview and comparison of memories will allow us to determine the authors' attitude towards Russia and Russian people; service in the tsarist army; the local population or the idea of ​​ the Caucasian highlanders' fight for independence.

Author

• Joanna Maria Kula, U of Wrocław (Poland)