Polskie stowarzyszenia żeńskiej służby domowej w Wilnie w I połowie XX w

ENThe purpose of this publication is to describe the activities of the Saint Zita Society of Catholic Female Servants in Wilno from 1904 to the outbreak of the First World War as well as the Saint Zita Christian Union of Female Household Servants in the interwar period. These two organizations aimed at improving the situation of Catholic female household servants and providing guidance in the areas of faith and morality. They offered shelter to unemployed servants in search of work or to those unable to work due to illness or old age. They offered financial aid, assisted members in their job search and organized training courses to help them upgrade their professional skills. The Associations also took an interest in members’ religious life by encouraging participation in religious events and by sponsoring religious, moral and Catechism discussion sessions. For cultural and educational purposes they organized literature evenings, staged short plays, and sponsored holiday gatherings at Christmas and Easter. In the interwar period the St. Zita Union for Female Household Servants belonged to the Central Union of Christian Professional Unions in Wilno. This facilitated contacts with representatives of other professions and the sharing of professional and social work experience.