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[[File:Cecylia Plater-Zyberk.jpg|thumb|right|Cecylia Plater-Zyberk]]
'''Cecylia Plater-Zyberk''', [[Plater coat of arms]], (born 8 May 1853 in [[Pass, Poland]] - died 6 January 1920 in [[Warsaw]]) was a social activist, educationalist, publicist and [[Nun|religious]]. She founded several schools and charitable societies.<ref>Górski, Tadeusz. "Cecylia Plater-Zyberk", in ''Polski Słownik Biograficzny'' '''PSB''' - [[Polish Biographical Dictionary]]. Vol. XXVI. 1981. http://ipsb.nina.gov.pl/a/biografia/cecylia-plater-zyberk {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506062635/https://www.ipsb.nina.gov.pl/a/biografia/cecylia-plater-zyberk |date=2021-05-06 }}</ref>
== Life ==
Cecylia Plater-Zyberk was the daughter and eighth child of Count Kazimierz Plater-Zyberk and Ludwika, née Borewicz. On her father's side she was descended from two illustrious German families: the Plater von Broëls from [[Westphalia]] and the [[Syberg]] zu Wischling clan originally from the [[Ruhr]], who arrived in [[Courland]] with the [[Teutonic Order]].<ref> "Mary" Messenger. "Life of Cecylia Plater-Zyberk" annotated in Polish. http://poslanniczki.blogspot.com/2012/11/cecylia-plater-zyberk-jej-idea-kobiety.html [accessed 2018-11-07]</ref> After home-schooling on the family estate, "Schlossberg" in Courland, she attended the [[Society of the Sacred Heart|Sacred Heart school]] in [[Poznań|Posen]]. During 1879-1880 she attended a craft school in [[Paris]]. On her return, she settled in Warsaw where she qualified as a [[master tailor]].<ref>Grela Joanna. (2014) "Cecylia Plater Zyberkówna," ''Przegląd Piaseczyński'' (local journal) https://www.przegladpiaseczynski.pl/historia/cecylia-plater-zyberkowna/</ref>
In 1880 she entered the convent of the ''Messengers of Mother Mary'' in Warsaw - a [[religious institute]] that did not use the [[Religious habit|habit]]. For a number of years she was the [[Religious Superior|superior]] of the Warsaw house.
In 1883 Plater-Zyberk founded a craft school for girls followed in 1886 by a girls' secondary school. In 1917 it achieved full recognition by the Education Authority. It was revived in 1993 as a private secondary girls school named after Cecylia Plater-Zyberk. Her second foundation was in [[Chyliczki]] in 1891, this time an agricultural school, also intended for girls. It became the Chyliczki agricultural High school. After the [[Second World War]] and Poland's return to full independence, the school is now called the "Cecylia Plater-Zyberk Centre for Continuing Rural Education".
In addition she put on courses on education and book-keeping.
== Social activism ==
With Kazimiera Proczek she founded the Polish Catholic Women's Association in 1904, of which she was president for two years. She was also a co-founder of the ''Society of Women Landowners''. She set up with bishop [[Jerzy Matulewicz]], the ''Friends of Young People'' aimed at working with young men. Her other charitable endeavours were centred on aiding children and youth.
Cecylia Plater-Zyberk died in 1920 and was buried in the family vault in [[Powązki Cemetery]].
== Publications ==
She was the author of 35 books and pamphlets as well as many articles. She usually wrote under one of several pseudonyms - ''CPZ'', ''Father Boguslaw'', ''Heather'' or ''Ciccada''. Her subject matter ranged between [[Pedagogy]] and social and religious themes, including the place of women in society. She is regarded as a precursor of [[Liberal Catholicism]].
== Works in Polish ==
* The idea and aims of relationships - ''Istota i cele związków''
* Living as a Catholic - ''Życie katolickie''
* About faith and religiosity - ''O pobożności prawdziwej i fałszywej'' 1899
* A few thoughts about child-rearing - ''Kilka mysli o wychowaniu'' 1903
* Woman as Hearth: From chats with the Chyliczki pupils: by a reborn woman: rebirth - ''Kobieta - ogniskiem : z pogadanek do uczennic Chyliczkowskich : przez odrodzoną kobietę - odrodzenie'' 1909
* What is our main national vice? -''Jaka jest nasza wada narodowa główna?''
* On the need to reform Girls' High schools - ''O potrzebie reformy szkoły średniej dla dziewcząt'' 1917
* On the point of marriage - ''Na progu małżeństwa''
== References ==
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== External links ==
* http://poslanniczki.blogspot.com/2012/11/cecylia-plater-zyberk-jej-idea-kobiety.html (Pol.) Article about the female spirituality of Plater-Zyberk
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[[Category:1853 births]]
[[Category:1920 deaths]]
[[Category:Plater family|Cecylia]]
[[Category:Nobility from Warsaw]]
[[Category:Polish tailors]]
[[Category:19th-century tailors]]
[[Category:Polish educational theorists]]
[[Category:20th-century Polish women writers]]
[[Category:Polish Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Polish people of German descent]]
[[Category:Nuns from Warsaw]]
[[Category:Russian nuns]]
[[Category:19th-century Polish Roman Catholic nuns]]
[[Category:20th-century Polish Roman Catholic nuns]]
[[Category:20th-century Polish nobility]]
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