In one scholarly conception, the history of feminism in Poland can be divided into seven periods, beginning with 19th-century first-wave feminism. The first four early periods coincided with the foreign partitions of Poland, which resulted in an eclipse of a sovereign Poland for 123 years.

Narcyza Żmichowska pronounced [narˈt͡sɨza ʐmʲiˈxɔfska], also known under her popular pen name Gabryella, was a Polish novelist and poet. She is considered a precursor of feminism in Poland.