Božena was a devoted mother who loved her children.  Poverty remained a persistent problem throughout her married life.  Poor diet and inadequate living conditions contributed to the poor health of mother and children.

Josef Němec, a strong Czech nationalist, acquired a reputation for treason, was persecuted by the Austrian government and eventually lost his employment, leaving the family in desperate financial need.

During this period František Matouš Klácel (1808 - 1882) was a member of the Augustinian Monastery in Brno and was one of the intellectuals with whom Božena interacted.  He was a staunch Czech patriot as well as a strong believer in the unity of all mankind. He believed that the communal life could provide the companionship and stability necessary for a successful society.  He was encouraged by Božena to publish his paper, “Letters of a friend to a lady friend about the origin of socialism and communism,”.  Publications of this type drew the attention of both the civil and church authorities.  Klácel was eventually forced to leave the church and to immigrate to America.

          The Hegelian Ignác Jan Hanuš (1812 - 1869) was professor of philosophy at the university in Lemberg (now Lvov in Ukraine) from 1838 to 1847.  After moving to Prague, Hanuš cooperated with another Hegelian. These spokesmen of the small, oppressed Czech nation promoted the Hegelian philosophy as the starting point for the historical development. After the revolution in 1848 the authorities governing Bohemia and Moravia undertook a series of measures directed at the adherents of the Hegelian philosophy. Authorities claimed that they were the instigators of the 1848 revolution.  In 1852 Hanuš was deprived of his right to teach philosophy in Prague.

Jan Helcelet (1812 - 1876), a doctor of medicine, was appointed professor of natural and agricultural sciences at the new Technical Institute in Brno in 1850. He and Klácel had common interests in the subjects of natural science, philosophy, and philanthropy. As did many others, he eventually broke off his relationship with Božena.

Alois Vojtěch Šembera (1807 - 1882) was a linguist, a professor of Czech language and literature, who befriended Božena and to whom she turned for money for food.

The early 19^th Century found much of Europe being influenced by the ideas of Enlightenment and of the French Revolution. The despotic Austrian monarchy enjoyed the support of the Roman Catholic Church.  Moravia was governed by the German aristocracy, and the German minority in state and regional offices hindered the Czech’s national and cultural development. Czech patriots had to fight for the preservation of their national heritage, a serious situation both in Moravia and Bohemia.

  During this period Karel Havlíček-Borovský (1821 - 1856) was the editor of a leading newspaper which became the living conscience of the Czech nation.  In 1850 all publications of this type were suppressed, and Havlíček was sent into exile with a trial.  He returned to Prague in 1855 in a state of severe illness.  Many of his former "friends" were afraid to associate with him because of his difficulties with the authorities.  His funeral in September of 1856 saw thousands of Czech patriots paying their respects, which displeased the authorities.  Božena and Josef Němec were persecuted for their participation in the funeral, and Josef was jailed for eight days as a result.

Božena had begun writing for publication in the early 1840s, producing poetry, novels, and folk tales.  In 1850 she began traveling through Bohemia and Slovakia, collecting folk tales.  She apparently developed a friendship, also, with Klácel's family, because in 1850 she acted as Godmother at the Christening of Marie Veronica Hartman, daughter of Hynek Hartman and Johanna Klácel Hartman, born November 11, 1850, in Česká Třebová.

Božena Němcová is for the Czech poet and for the Czech people the symbol of the glory and sufferings of the nation, the redeemer and protector of Czech heritage.