We present and discuss near-ultraviolet and optical groundbased
spectra of the 20 brightest Seyfert 2 nuclei, and HST ultraviolet
images and ultraviolet spectroscopy for a few of them. The goal is to
study the starburst-AGN connection and the origin of the featureless
continuum. The results indicate that half of the nuclei in the sample
harbor a young and/or intermediate age population. These stars are
formed in powerful and dusty starbursts of short duration, that have
bolometric luminosities similar to the estimated bolometric luminosities
of their obscured Seyfert 1 nuclei.