Jan Wagilewicz (1811–1866) – a forgotten author of unpublished manuscripts. A contribution to the research on the work of the 19th-century Galician writer

Abstract

Jan Wagilewicz (1811–1866), associated today mainly with the “Ruthenian Trinity,” was a 19th-century writer and scholar connected to Galicia, who contributed to the development of two cultures present in that region: Polish and Ukrainian. He wrote in two languages, primarily supporting the idea of Slavic unity. Ukrainians still consider him the “father of modern Ukrainian literature” and “awakener of the national spirit,” but Poles have forgotten his achievements. Once recognized as a genius of science and a titan of work, Wagilewicz published very few of his works.

The article is the result of research I conducted at the Vasyl Stefanyk National Scientific Library of Ukraine in Lviv, including a thorough study of literature. In it, I present the current state of research on Jan Wagilewicz’s legacy in Poland and Ukraine, as well as organize knowledge about the scholar’s publications and works that are still in manuscript form. I have included an extensive list of these works, which was lacking in Polish scholarly literature. The article, along with the bibliography, serves as a solid foundation for further research on Wagilewicz’s work, potentially leading to the editing of his most important works such as “Slavic symbolism” and “Slavic Demonology”.