Texts and Contexts from the History of Feminism and Women’s Rights

Zsófia Lóránd (University of Vienna) is an intellectual historian of feminism in East Central Europe, working primarily on Hungary, Yugoslavia, and the GDR. Adela Hîncu (Institute of Contemporary History, Ljubljana) is an intellectual historian of state socialism and postsocialism, writing on Marxist social thought, feminism, and social sciences and policy in Romania and East Central Europe after the Second World War. Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc is a political scientist dealing with political issues from the perspective of culture studies. Katarzyna Stańczak-Wiślicz is a social historian working in the Institute of Literary Research, Polish Academy of Sciences.

Introduction                                                         


1. The Legacy of the Pre-1945 Period




Ecaterina Arbore, The Working Woman in the Struggle towards Emancipation (1911, Romania)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Alexandra Ghiț, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Žemaitė, To the Enemies of Women’s Equality (1912, Lithuania)   

“About the Author” and “Context” by Dalia Leinarte, Translated by Jura Avizienis
Rosika Schwimme, The Grievances of Feminism under the Proletarian Dictatorship (1919, Hungary) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Dóra Fedeles-Czeferner, Translated by Beáta Sándor
Mariska Gárdos, On Sexuality, Prostitution, and Feminism (1906 and 1939-40, Hungary) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zsófia Lóránd, Translated by Beáta Sándor
Shaqe Marie Çoba, On Feminism (1921, Albania)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Nevila Pahumi, Translated by Piro Rexhepi
Johanna Päts, Why Must Women Elect Women to Parliament? (1932, Estonia)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Liisi Keedus, Translated by Helis Rõuk
Irena Krzywicka, The Fall of Male Civilization (1932, Poland) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Dobrochna Kałwa, Translated by Anna Topolska
Halina Krahelska, The Roots of Changing Sexual Mores (1937, Poland)   

“About the Author” and “Context” by Katherine Lebow, Translated by Katherine Lebow
Angela Vode, The Woman in Contemporary Society (1934, Yugoslavia/Slovenia)  

"About the Author” and “Context” by Manca G. Renko, Translated by Lukas Debeljak


2. Women and War                                                          




Žena Danas Editorial Board, The New Feminism (1936, Yugoslavia/Serbia) 

“About the Magazine” and “Context” by Isidora Grubački, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Ina Jun-Broda, Two Poems by a Partizanka (1943, Yugoslavia)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Lucija Bakšić, Isidora Grubački, and Iva Jelušić, Translated by Iva Jelušić
Maca Gržetić, Report on Women in the People’s Liberation Struggle (1945, Yugoslavia/Croatia) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Iva Jelušić, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Romanian Workers’ Party, Fallen in Battle: Olga Bancic (1949, Romania) 

“Context” by Cristina Diac, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Lina Kostenko, A Female Poetic Voice against Totalitarianism and War (1957, 1962, 1987, Ukraine)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Antonina Tymchenko and Galina Babak, Translated by Vera Rich and Michael M. Naydan
Staša Zajović, Antiwar Activism after Yugoslavia (1996, Serbia) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Bojan Bilić, Translated by Stanislava Lazarević and by Renée Franić, revised by Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc
Śviatłana Aleksijevič, What Is Our Memory? (1998, Belarus)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Almira Ousmanova, Translated by Almira Ousmanova, edited by Benjamin Cope


 3. Ideologies of Women’s Emancipation                                         




Hana Gregorová, About March 8th and Feminism (n.d., Czechoslovakia/Slovakia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Jana Cviková, Translated by Julia and Peter Sherwood
Anna Kéthly, Women in Politics (1945, Hungary)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zsuzsanna Kádár B., Translated by Cody J. Inglis
Milada Horáková, Women in Politics (1945, Czechoslovakia/Czechia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Melissa Feinberg, Translated by Melinda Reidinger
Martha Arendsee, The Right to Motherhood (1946, GDR) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Alexandria N. Ruble, Translated by Lea Greenberg
Edwarda Orłowska, Paper Delivered at the Plenary Meeting of the Main Board of the League of Women (1949, Poland)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Katarzyna Stańczak-Wiślicz, Translated by Anna Topolska
Dušanka Kovačević and Razija Handžić, On Lifting Veils of Muslim Women (1950, Yugoslavia/Bosnia and Herzegovina)

“About the Author” (DK) by Ivana Pantelić and Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, “About the Author” (RH) by Zlatan Delić, “Context” by Ivana Pantelić, Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, and Zlatan Delić, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic and Jelena Babšek Labudović
Aina Jurciņa, The Consequences of Emancipation? (1980, Latvia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zita Kārkla, Translated by Ieva Lešinska-Gaber
Lydia Sklevicky, The Women’s Antifascist Front as a Potential Factor in the Process of Cultural Change (1985, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Iva Jelušić, Translated by Jelena Babšek Labudović
Nada Ler-Sofronić, Neofeminism and the Socialist Alternative (1986, Yugoslavia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zsófia Lóránd, Translated by Jelena Babšek Labudović
Drita Bakija Gunga, The Women of Kosovo in the Period of Socialist Construction (1986, Yugoslavia/Kosovo)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Vjollca Krasniqi, Translated by Piro Rexhepi 


 4. The International Aspects of Women’s Rights         




German Democratic Women’s League (DFD), The First German Women’s Delegation to Stockholm (1947, GDR) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Lea Börgerding, Translated by Lea Greenberg
Tukums District Female Activists, Call of the Tukums District Female Activists to District Women on the Decisions of the World Congress of Women in Copenhagen (1953, Latvia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Vita Zelče, Translated by Ieva Lešinska-Gaber
Mitra Mitrović, The Woman’s Position in the Contemporary World (1960, Yugoslavia/Serbia)     

“About the Author” and “Context” by Isidora Grubački, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Rózsa Ignácz, Connections to Distant Women through Travelogues (1968, Hungary)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Réka Krizmanics, Translated by Beáta Sándor
Esma Redžepova, Songs by a Yugoslav Romani Vocal Icon (1961–1987, Yugoslavia/Macedonia)        

“About the Author/Performer” and “Context” by Carol Silverman, Translated by Carol Silverman with assistance from Sani Rifati
Vida Tomšič, On the Question of Women’s Social Position in the Contemporary World (1976, Yugoslavia/Slovenia) 

"About the Author” and “Context” by Manca G. Renko, Translated by Lukas Debeljak
Marija Gimbutas, An Interview about Prehistoric Matriarchy (1981, Lithuania)  

"About the Author” and “Context” by Rasa Navickaitė, Translated by Jura Avizienis
Elena Lagadinova, Statement at the Nairobi Conference (1985, Bulgaria)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Kristen Ghodsee, 


5. Politicizing Motherhood (and Fatherhood)                             




Maria Skokowska-Rudolfowa, Mother and Child Day (1946, Poland)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Katarzyna Stańczak-Wiślicz, Translated by Anna Topolska
Zlata Grebo, The Hopes and Fears of Rural Women (1964, Yugoslavia/Bosnia and Herzegovina) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Nermina Mujagić and Sarina Bakić, Translated by Vuk Tošić
Serhii Hryhoriev, Son (1969, Ukraine)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Olena Gulenok
Alla Hors’ka, Maternity in Ukrainian Dissent (1960-64, Ukraine) 

"About the Author” and “Context” by Simone Attilio Bellezza    
Leokadija Diržinskaitė-Piliušenko, Soviet Women—Active Builders of Communism (1976, Lithuania)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Dalia Leinarte, Translated by Jura Avizienis
Cristiana Nicolae, Two Movies on the Lives of Women Factory Workers (1983, 1992, Romania)  

"About the Director” and “Context” by Georgiana Vrăjitoru
Júlia Szilágyi, A Spoken World (1983, Romania)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Andrea Tompa, Translated by Lea Greenberg
Maria Dinkova and Chavdar Kyuranov, Women, Gender, and the Use of Time (1971, 1979, Bulgaria) 

“About the Authors” and “Context” by Boryana Yankova, Translated by Boryana Yankova


6. Time Budgets and Double Burden    




Libuše Háková, Promoting the Marxist Conception of the Woman Question (1976, Czechoslovakia/Czechia)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Maria Láníková, Translated by Melinda Reidinger
Working Women’s Commission of the CRZZ,  The Professional Work of Women and the Family (1967, Poland)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Katarzyna Stańczak-Wiślicz, Translated by Anna Topolska
Sonia Bakish, Let’s Cancel the Second Shift (1967, Bulgaria)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Krassimira Daskalova, Translated by Valentina Mitkova
Ecaterina Oproiu, Two Key Questions (1975, Romania)  

“About the Author” by Ileana Tureanu, “Context” by Adela Hîncu, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Mileva Filipović, The Working Class and Woman’s Emancipation in Socialism (1979, Yugoslavia/Montenegro)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Nataša Nelević and Ervina Dabižinović, Translated by Vuk Tošić
Vizma Belševica, Time Budgets and the Double Burden (1981, 1983, Latvia) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Kārlis Vērdiņš, Translated by Ieva Lešinska-Gaber
Regīna Ezera, Betrayal (1982, Latvia)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zita Kārkla, Translated by Ieva Lešinska-Gaber 


7. Violence against Women and Gender-Based Violence                        




Blaženka Despot, Feminist Marxism and Violence against Women (1987, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zsófia Lóránd, Translated by Una Blagojević
Frauenteestube Weimar, our critique of the legal concept of rape[2] (around 1987-89, GDR) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Jane Freeland, Translated by Lea Greenberg
Andra Neiburga, Domestic Violence (1988, Latvia) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Jānis Ozoliņš, Translated by Ieva Lešinska-Gaber
Mojca Dobnikar, Feminism and Social Work (1997, Slovenia) 

“About the Author” by Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, “Context” by Jasna Podreka, Translated by Lukas Debeljak


 8. Women in Politics                                                         




Júlia Rajk, Christmas Troubles (1946, Hungary)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Andrea Pető, Translated by Beáta Sándor 
Tsola Dragoicheva, Eight Years of Equality and Happiness (1952, Bulgaria)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Krassimira Daskalova, Translated by Valentina Mitkova
Latinka Perović, Ahead of the Elections (1963, Yugoslavia/Serbia) 

"About the Author” and “Context” by Ivana Pantelić, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Olivia Clătici, On the Social Condition of Women (1973, Romania)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Luciana Jinga, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Vera Veskoviḱ-Vangeli, Women in History (1974, Yugoslavia/Macedonia)

“About the Author” by Iva Jelušić, “Context” by Iva Jelušić and Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, Translated by Vuk Tošić
Women’s Forum, To the Presidium of the 9th Extraordinary Congress of the Polish United Workers’ Party (1981, Poland)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Natalia Jarska, Translated by Anna Topolska
Ina Merkel, Without Women, There is No State (1989, GDR)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Jane Freeland, Translated by Lea Greenberg


9. Reproductive Rights and Demography                                     




 Maria Jaszczukowa, Proposal on the Criteria of Abortion Permissibility (1956, Poland

“About the Author” and “Context” by Barbara Klich-Kluczewska, Translated by Anna Topolska
Zsuzsa Körösi et al., Petition for the Protection of the Freedom of Abortion (1973, Hungary)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Fanni Svégel, Translated by Beáta Sándor
Aimée Beekman, Freedom to Choose (1978, Estonia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Liisi Keedus, Translated by Helis Rõuk
Jasenka Kodrnja, The Diary of a Woman in Labor (1981, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Ana Maskalan, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Ana Blandiana, Children’s Crusade (1984, Romania)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Corina Doboș, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Vlasta Jalušič, Abortion, Women, and Politics (1990, Yugoslavia/Slovenia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, Translated by Lukas Debeljak
Ágnes Geréb, The Circumstances of a Home Birth Case (1995, Hungary)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Fanni Svégel, Translated by Beáta Sándor


10. Health and the Body                                                        




Katalin Ladik, Performance Art and Marginalization (1970, Hungary and Yugoslavia/Vojvodina)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Emese Kürti
Maria Pinińska-Bereś, Is a Woman a Human Being? (1972, 1973, Poland)I

“About the Author” and “Context” by Agata Jakubowska
Anna Świrszczyńska, I Am Baba (Selected Poems) (1972, Poland)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Monika Rudaś-Grodzka and Katarzyna Nadana-Sokołowska, Translated by Anna Topolska
Sanja Iveković, Sweet Violence—Mass Media and Feminist Art in Yugoslavia (1974–1983, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Ivana Bago
Lepa Mlađenović and Biljana Branković, Alternatives to Psychiatry (1985, Yugoslavia/Serbia)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Bojan Bilić, Translated by Jelena Babšek Labudović


11. Sexuality                                                                  




 Ágnes Heller and Mihály Vajda, Family Structure and Communism (1970, Hungary) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zsófia Lóránd, Translated by Andrew Arato
Todor Bostandzhiev, Sexology—A Belated Conversation (1970, Bulgaria)  

“About the Author” and “Context” by Valentina Mitkova, Translated by Valentina Mitkova
Slavenka Drakulić, Women and the Sexual Revolution (1980, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Zsófia Lóránd, Translated by Jelena Babšek Labudović
Radu Dumitriu, Sexology and Sexual Education (1968, Romania)

“Context” by Luciana Jinga, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Erzsébet Galgóczi, “I Am the First Woman Writer of Peasant Origin in Hungary” (1975, 1981, Hungary)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Anna Borgos, Translated by Cody J. Inglis
Vesna Kesić, Isn’t Pornography Cynical? (1982, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Vesna Kesić, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Susana Tratnik and Nataša Sukič, The Slovenian Lesbian Movement (1990, Yugoslavia/Slovenia)

“About the Authors” and “Context” by Jovana Mihajlović Trbovc, Translated by Lukas Debeljak
Polish Lesbian Initiatives, The Violet Pulse, Fury the First (1995–2000, Poland)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Katarzyna Stańczak-Wiślicz 


12. Debating “Western” Feminisms                                              




Nadežda Čačinovič, Equality or Liberation (1976, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Una Blagojević, Translated by Jelena Babšek Labudović
Rada Iveković, The Position of Women: Immediate Tasks and Neglected Aspects (1978, Yugoslavia/Croatia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Chiara Bonfiglioli, Translated by Joan and David Rouge, revised by Chiara Bonfiglioli and Rada Iveković
Stana Buzatu, Issues for a Fruitful Dialogue between Feminism and Marxism (1979, Romania)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Adela Hîncu, Translated by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Žarana Papić, Sex and Gender—Categories of the Social Organization of Sexuality (1984, Yugoslavia/Serbia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Adriana Zaharijević, Translated by Jelena Babšek Labudović
Agate Nesaule, Conversation about the Second Sex (1991, Latvia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Kārlis Vērdiņš, Translated by Ieva Lešinska-Gaber
Jiřina Šmejkalová, Pavla Horská, and Jaroslava Pešková, Feminism and the Woman Question at the Time of Transition (1991/2, Czechoslovakia/Czechia) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Libora Oates-Indruchová, Translated by Melinda Reidinger
Barbara Limanowska and Agnieszka Graff, Feminism during Political Transformation  (1993, 2001, Poland) 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Katarzyna Stańczak-Wiślicz, Translated by Anna Topolska


13. Dissidence                                                                 




Nadiia Svitlychna and Vira Pavlivna Lisova, Women and the Dissident Movement in Soviet Ukraine (1979, 1997, Ukraine)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Galina Babak, Translated by Yuliia Maksymeiko
Dije Neziri Lohaj, Innocence,a Poem From the Ilegalja Movement (1980s, Yugoslavia/Kosovo)

“About the author” by Elife (Eli) Krasniqi, Translated by Piro Rexhepi
Larysa Hienijuš and Ivonka Survilla, The Position of Women in the Belarusian Diaspora (1993–2018, Belarus)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Uladzislau Ivanou, Translated by Wolf Rubinčyk and Uladzislaŭ Harbacki
Jana Juráňová, … Without Context… How Is Feminism Doing in Slovakia? (1994, Slovakia)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Jana Cviková, Translated by Julia and Peter Sherwood
Veronika Cherkasova, The Country Just Across the Way (2004, Belarus)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Almira Ousmanova, Translated by Benjamin Cope 


14. Transitions                                                             




Dunja Blažević, The Activist of the Avant-Gardent (1982, Yugoslavia)

“About the author” and “Context” by Jasmina Tumbas, Translated by Suzana Vuljevic
Ágnes Daróczi, Making Gypsiness Bearable (1984, Hungary)

“About the author” and “Context” by Angéla Kóczé, Translated by Beáta Sándor
Teuta Arifi, Police and Cooking Recipes. Yugoslav Feminism’s Precarious Solidarity with Kosovo (1991, Yugoslavia/North Macedonia/Kosovo)

“About the author” and “Context” by Linda Gusia and Nita Luci, Translated by Piro Rexhepi
Irene Dölling, with Adelheid Kuhlmey-Oehlert, Gabriela Seibt, and Women in the GDR, “Our Skin.” Women about the Fall of 1990 (1992, GDR)

"About the Author” and “Context” by Marcus Böick, Translated by Lea Greenberg
Mihaela Miroiu and Laura Grünberg, Liberal Feminism and the Aftermath of Communism in Eastern Europer (1994, 1996, Romania)

"About the Author” by Adela Hîncu, “Context” by Alexandra Ghiţ and Adela Hîncu, Translated by Adela Hîncu, revised by Ioana Miruna Voiculescu
Hana Havelková, A Liberal History of the Woman Question in the Czech Lands (1995, Czechia)

“About the Author” and “Context” by Libora Oates-Indruchová, Translated by Melinda Reidinger
Lithuanian Women’s Party, Party Platform for the 1996 Parliamentary Elections 

“About the Author” and “Context” by Agnė Bagdžiūnaitė, Translated by Jura Avizienis
Nicoleta Biţu, The Romani Women’s Movement in Romania

“About the Author” and “Context” by Luiza Medeleanu


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