Emilia Plater - Biography

Biography

Emilia Plater was born in Vilnius (Wilno) into a noble Polish-Lithuanian Plater family of the Plater coat of arms. Her family traced its roots to Westphalia, but was thoroughly Polonized. Originating in Westphalia, much of the family relocated to Livonia during the 15th century and later to Lithuania. She is described by her nationality as either Polish, Polish-Lithuanian, Lithuanian or by the place of her birth, as "from Lithuania". Her parents, Franciszek Ksawery Plater and Anna von der Mohl, divorced when she was nine years old, in 1815.

She was brought up by distant relatives, the Plater-Zyberk family, in their family's manor Līksna near Daugavpils, contemporary Latvia (Inflanty). Well-educated, Plater was brought up to appreciate the efforts of Tadeusz Kościuszko, and the Prince Józef Poniatowski. Emilia was fascinated by Goethe and Schiller, who she could read in the original German language. She was raised in an environment that valued the history of Poland, and her literary heroes included Princess Wanda and Adam Mickiewicz's Grażyna. She also admired Bouboulina, a woman who became one of the icons of the Greek uprising against the Ottomans, a Polish fighter Anna Dorota Chrzanowska, as well as Joan of Arc. These pursuits were accompanied by an early interest in equestrianism and marksmanship, quite uncommon for early 19th century girls from aristocratic families. She was also deeply interested in the Ruthenian (Belarusian) folk culture. She had contacts and friends in the Filaret Association.

In 1823 one of her cousins was forcibly conscripted into the Russian Army as a punishment for celebrating the Constitution of 3 May; this incident is said to be one of the key events in Emilia's life, and one that galvanized her pro-Polish and anti-Russian attitude. In 1829, Emilia Plater began a grand tour throughout the historical Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, visiting Warsaw and Kraków, and the battlefield of Raszyn. Her mother died a year later; her father remarried and refused to even meet his daughter. After the outbreak of the November Uprising against Imperial Russia, she became a vocal supporter of the anti-Tsarist sentiments in the lands of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania. She quickly became one of a dozen or so females to join the Uprising, and the most famous of them all.

A document from 25 March contains her note that joining the uprising was her sole idea, and that she had hoped that such a moment would come her entire life. She cut her hair, prepared a uniform for herself and organized and equipped a group of volunteers, speaking passionately after a mass on 29 March. On 4 April she signed a document marking her access to the local uprising forces. Her unit was composed of roughly 280 infantry, 60 cavalry and several hundred peasants armed with war scythes.

From the area of Daugavpils (Dźwina) she entered Lithuania, where in April 1831 her unit is rumored to have seized the town of Zarasai, although the historians are not sure this event really occurred. She planned to take Daugavpils, but after a reconnaissance mission discovered that the city was defended by a strong garrison and was impregnable to attack by such a small force as her own unit, that plan was abandoned. She then returned to Samogitia and headed for Panevėžys, where on 30 April she joined forces with the unit commanded by Karol Załuski. On May 4 she fought at the battle of Prestowiany; shortly afterwards, with Konstanty Parczewski, she fought at Maišiagala (Mejszagoła). On 5 May she witnessed General Dezydery Chłapowski entering the area with a large force and taking command over all units fighting in the former Grand Duchy.

Chłapowski advised Emilia Plater to stand down and return home. She allegedly replied that she had no intention of taking off her uniform until her fatherland was fully liberated. Her decision was accepted and she was made a (honorary, most likely) commanding officer of 1st company of the Polish-Lithuanian 25th Infantry Regiment. She was promoted to the rank of captain, the highest rank awarded to a woman at that time. She spent some time in Kaunas (Kowno), before the insurgents were forced to retreat from it in late June.

After the Polish units were defeated by the Russians at Šiauliai (Szawle), Gen. Chłapowski decided to cross the border into Prussia and become interned there. Emilia Plater vocally criticized that decision, refused to follow orders and instead decided to try to break through to Warsaw and continue the struggle.

However, soon after separating from the main force, accompanied only by a two others, including her cousin (or uncle, sources vary), Cezary Plater, she became seriously ill. She never recovered, and she died on 23 December 1831 in a manor of the Abłamowicz family in Justinavas (Justianiów). She was buried in the small village of Kapčiamiestis (Kopciowo) near Lazdijai (Łoździeje). After the defeat of the uprising, her estate was confiscated by the Russian authorities.