Zofia Powałowska of Poland, 110, honored by the GRG on her 110th birthday
The Gerontology Research Group is pleased to inform that Mrs. Zofia Powałowska of Gdańsk, Pomerania Voivodeship, Poland has celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming the second supercentenarian in Poland born in 1915. On this day, she was paid a visit by Dr. Wacław Jan Kroczek, GRG Director and Correspondent for Poland and Nordic Countries. She is the second-oldest validated living person in Poland behind 110-year old Anna Winiarska of Huta Gogołowska, Subcarpathia Voivodeship. In addition to this, Zofia Powałowska is the second supercentenarian in the history of Pomerania Voivodeship behind Anna Styś of Chojnice (1908-2020).
Zofia Powałowska’s age was mericulously examined and verified by Dr. Wacław Jan Kroczek with invaluable support from Prof. Andrzej Powałowski, and validated by the Gerontology Research Group on November 6, 2025.
Zofia Powałowska was born in Gniezno, German Empire (now Gniezno, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland) on November 1, 1915. As a child, she came with her parents to Toruń, Pomerania Voivodeship, Poland, where she lived for a hundred years until 2020 afterwards she moved to Gdańsk.
Family Roots and Wartime Hardship
Her father, a merchant from Toruń and the grandfather of Professor Andrzej Powałowski from the University of Gdańsk, once owned several properties in the city. He was a business partner in a company with German capital, but the partnership eventually dissolved, and he faced serious financial troubles over bills of exchange he had signed.
After World War I, he purchased a house in a newly built residential area from a German who was leaving Poland — along with two loyal dogs. However, in 1939, when German troops entered Toruń, the legal heir of the property’s former owner returned to reclaim it. This act had devastating consequences for the family. Zofia Powałowska’s father was soon deported to the nazi concentration camp in Stutthof, where he died after a dozen of months in 1940.
From Toruń to Gdańsk
Throughout her life, Zofia Powałowska remained deeply connected to Toruń. During World War II, she cared for her mother and sister, showing the same quiet strength that would define her for decades to come. After the war, she met her future husband, and in 1948, the two married. Together they studied law, graduated, and embarked on professional careers — she as a legal advisor, and he as a judge and attorney.
Her husband passed away 15 years ago in 2010. Zofia didn’t have a particularly extensive professional career because for a time she took care of her son and the household.
For many years, she lived independently in Toruń, but age and health challenges eventually prompted her to move to Gdańsk to live with her son where she’s under the care of excellent doctors, physiotherapists, and even a hairdresser, which is important, as she has always taken great care of herself. She carefully chooses her clothes, and jewelry – a necklace or bracelet – is a must.”
An Elegant Centenarian
Now 110 years old, Zofia Powałowska remains a symbol of grace and intellect. On her 108th birthday, she received a large bouquet of red roses from Gdańsk Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz — a gesture honoring both her longevity and her enduring spirit.
An Active Observer of the World
Even in her advanced age, Zofia has remained deeply engaged with the world around her. Until recently, when her eyesight was stronger, she read newspapers avidly — especially Dziennik Toruński and a well-known satirical weekly. Today, she keeps up with current affairs through radio, particularly TOK FM.
She’s very interested in politics. According to her family, political events can make her extremely nervous, sometimes she couldn’t sleep at night because of bad news. She voted in the 2023 Polish parliamentary elections and she followed the results closely.
The Secret to a Long Life
Her son believes it lies in her disciplined approach to life. “Everything in our home was done according to a schedule,” he explains. “For years — decades, really — my mother has eaten breakfast, lunch, and dinner at almost exactly the same time. Every activity is performed routinely and with purpose. Her life is like a perfectly organized drawer — everything in its place. I think that’s the secret to her longevity.”
Whether it’s her intellectual curiosity, her commitment to order, or her unwavering sense of dignity, Zofia Powałowska embodies the quiet strength of a generation that has endured and triumphed through history’s most difficult chapters.
As she continues to live surrounded by care, family, and respect, her life serves as a living testament to endurance, grace, and the power of routine — a super century-long story still unfolding.