Remembrance. Marine Capt. Danuta Kobylińska-Walas (1931-2025)

On June 21, the first Polish captain of the great sea, Danuta Kobylińska-Walas, left for eternal watch. For many years, she was the only Polish woman to command ships.

She was born on November 27, 1931 in Kozietuły. After World War II, she and her family moved to Kamień Pomorski. After completing a sailing course in 1946, she decided to become a sailor. She settled in Szczecin and studied at the State Maritime School from 1949 to 1951. This was possible only after many visits to Warsaw, when officials finally allowed her to study at the State Maritime School. In the first years after graduation, however, she did not have the right to sail. So she worked at the Szczecin Harbor Master's Office, the Central Office of the Merchant Navy and at the Shipyard Transfer Bases in Gdańsk and Szczecin.

She signed on to her first ship in 1956. She sailed as a deck assistant on the steamer "Wrocław", later as a third officer on the s/s "Szczecin", then as a second officer on the s/s "Kalisz", and in 1961 – as a first officer on the steamers "Tczew" and "San".

She became captain on February 16, 1962. She commanded such units as: m/s "Kopalnia Wujek", "Kołobrzeg II", "Toruń", "Bieszczady", "Powstaniec Wielkopolski", "Budowlany", "Uniwersytet Toruński", "Jarosław", "Malbork".

In December 1970, the ship "Bieszczady" under her command docked at the Szczecin Shipyard and helped striking workers. In 1972, she saved the unit "Kopalnia Miechowice" from sinking, with crew and cargo.

In the years 1981–86 Kobylińska-Walas was a representative of the Office of the Commercial Counsellor at the Polish People's Republic Embassy in Tunis. Polska Żegluga Bałtycka in Kołobrzeg also chose her as the godmother of the ship "Nimfa II".

In her hometown of Kozietuły, the Non-Public Primary School bears her name. She was named Szczecinian of the Year 1966. She has her own plaque placed on the Captains Square next to the Old Slaughterhouse in Łasztownia in Szczecin. She received the Golden Badge of Honour "Meritorious Employee of the Sea" and the Golden Badge of Honour of the Pomeranian Griffin, the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and a number of other awards.

She was known all over the world. She gave many interviews. In Singapore she received 500 orchids, and in New Orleans – symbolic keys to the city.

She was called the captain in a skirt, Madame Commandante, Woman Sea Captain, Madame la Capitaine, Frau Kapitan... She had the nickname "Frog" because of her outstanding swimming skills. She was known for her firm hand. She believed in the principle: "my ship speaks for me". She had a lot of knowledge and knowledge of foreign languages. She retired with regret.

Her rich life was presented in the biographical book "First after God" by the maritime writer and captain Eugeniusz Daszkowski.

She left behind a legacy of grief among her immediate family: her son, granddaughter and great-grandson, as well as a group of people for whom she was a rock.

(ek)