Po co Paulina Wilkońska jeździła do Salzbrunn?

The aim of this article is to supplement existing information about the life of Paulina Wilkońska based on her correspondence – partly published, partly preserved in manuscript form – addressed to several close acquaintances and friends, including Seweryna Pruszakowa, Wacław Maciejowski, Julian Bartoszewicz, Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, Paulina Dzieduszycka, and Katarzyna and Wincenty Karwiccy. The analysis of these personal documents is subordinated to the reconstruction of a selected aspect of the writer’s biography. The study examines the reasons behind Wilkońska’s remarkably regular stays in Salzbrunn during the 1850s and 1860s, undertaken despite clear financial constraints. It is proposed that three motivational paths may have influenced the author’s determination: a desire to escape loneliness combined with the search for inspiration and creative strength, issues related to physical and mental health, and the need for temporary isolation from a dysfunctional family. In this context, Wilkońska’s repeated trips to Salzbrunn offered a sense of normalcy and helped her maintain essential life balance.