The woman who wrote the Handbook of Democracy: Alzbeta Gollnerova-Gwerkova
The name and story of Alzbeta Gollnerova-Gwerkova is still quite unknown to the mass population. Her work and democratic and feminist thoughts, very progressive at the time, deserve much more recognition. Luckily, in the past years, we got to know her life story and work through the book, movie and theatrical performance. Who was this woman who wrote the Handbook of Democracy for Czechoslovak women?
"I am convinced that if I published my work in French or English, it would be appreciated. But there is no need to lament. I am not alone in this situation. It's just one moment in the traditional struggle of trying to get closer to the world standards in our domestic circumstances and narrow horizons."
Dr. Alzbeta Gollnerova-Gwerkova was born in 1905 in a mountain village in central Slovakia. There were five children in the family, however, only she and her sister survived childhood. When she was 15, both her parents died and sisters were cared for by grandparents. In interwar years, Gollnerova-Gwerkova got to know professor Jarmila Zikmundova who helped her cultivate social consciousness, interest in pedagogy, democracy and women’s role in the society. Dr. Gwerkova studied languages and had a promising academic career. But her most important work is related to the role of women in society. Dr. Gwerkova compiled a book with the title A Woman of the New Era (Žena novej doby). On 600 pages, she wanted to empower women to become democrats. She worked with the idea that women in particular need to adopt democratic values because they are the ones who are raising the next generation. The novelty of the book lies in the connection between the private and public spheres of women's life.
“A constitution alone does not make a democracy, it is up to the citizens to put it into practice as perfectly and consistently as possible."
The book was first published in 1938. However, by the late 1930s, the role of women had become an undesirable topic. Wartime was coming and the role of the women was clear– to bear children and to be involved in the care and health fields. In March 1939, the First Slovak Republic, a client state of Nazi Germany, was established. From the beginning, the republic was heading towards a totalitarian regime, and there was no space for anything connected with the Czechoslovak idea, emancipation of women or democracy. The book was banned.
Both the book and its main author and editor had the tragic fate. Dr. Gwerkova was actively engaged in Slovak National uprising and after its suppression in 1944, somebody turned her in. She was killed by Gestapo in and ended up in a mass grave in Kremnička.
“Being a democrat is not an easy thing, because it implies responsibility for all actions, which must be done consciously and voluntarily. This is a responsibility that not every person wants to take on, because for a person with little awareness and who does not think independently it is easier to obey than to make decisions of his own free will.”
A Woman of the New Era was a very progressive and revolutionary book for that time and its message is still relevant also today. You can read it online here. To learn more about life of Alzbeta Gollnerova Gwerkova, you can read a book by Anna Gruskova Tichý pobyt na ulici Gwerkovej-Göllnerovej (Quiet stay on Gwerkova-Göllnerova street, available only in Slovak) or watch a movie Žena novej doby (A Woman of the New Era).
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