Flatau, Goldflam and Babinski originated from the Russian area of partitioned Poland in the 19th century and knew each other. Each contributed significantly to neurology at a time of adversity in Polish academic life because of the political situation. This paper in the main is centred on Flatau and Goldflam; Babinski, the most recognised of the three, is included for comparison. They all died in 1932, when Poland had been an independent sovereignty since the end of the First World War in 1918.