Original scientific paper
»WELL, IT MUST BE!« – STUDENT AND THE FIRST FEMALE MEMBER OF »DOMAGOJ« ASSOCIATION, BOŽENA KRALJ
Tihana LUETIĆ
Abstract
Author analyzes university days of Božena Kralj, married Deželić, one of the first female students at Royal University of Franz Joseph I. in Zagreb. In the society of that time she made a breakthrough into strictly manly world – in 1911 she became the first girl accepted in the
Croatian Catholic Academic Association »Domagoj«. This, naturally, provoked numerous reactions but in spite of isolation her contacts from that period remained stabile even in her later days when she became teacher in high school, wife of Velimir Deželić Jr. and active
member of female section of Catholic seniorate. Beside her activities in the social section of »Domagoj« Božena Kralj during her university days worked on literacy of illiterate persons within »ABC club« at the University. With such a social life, which was followed with many
rumors within conservative bourgeois environment, Božena Kralj also won many battles in the academic field. She was supported by her family and friends, and managed to graduate at Faculty of philosophy in Zagreb. Soon after she also defended doctoral dissertation and
became doctor of philosophy. During her studies she received bursary from Foundation of Julije Bubanović of Yugoslavian Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was indicated as the best candidate for specialization in Slavic studies at University in Moscow in 1912/1913.
Although, in contemporary Russia girls were not allowed to study at University, and their higher education was organized on level of High courses for girls, Božena Kralj was permitted to study at Moscow Imperial University as a part-time student.
Keywords
Božena Kralj; Deželić family; 20th century; Croatian Catholic Academic Association »Domagoj«; higher education; gender history
Hrčak ID:
126296
URI
Publication date:
18.6.2014.
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