Aleksandra Dranka

Aleksandra Dranka
Aleksandra Dranka at age 110.
Birth:	3 October 1903 Harklowa, Austria-Hungary
Death:	29 April 2014 Harklowa, Poland
Age:	110 years, 208 days
Country:	POL
Validated

Aleksandra Dranka (née Pięta; 3 October 1903 – 29 April 2014) was a validated Polish supercentenarian, who was the oldest verified living person in Poland at the time of her death.

Biography

Aleksandra Dranka was born in the village of Harklowa, Austria-Hungary (now Harklowa, Skołyszyn Municipality, Jasło County, Subcarpathia Voivodeship, Poland), on 3 October 1903, as a daughter of Antoni and Maria Pięta née Kula. She emigrated to the United States with her parents in February 1905, where they opened a restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, USA. After Aleksandra survived a shooting at the restaurant and a kidnapping in the port of New York her family decided to return to Poland in 1908, where she helped her parents run a farm. In Poland, Aleksandra survived the times of World War I and World War II. Her life's hobby was sewing. For years, she has been making wedding dresses for brides of her region. In 1928 Aleksandra married Michał Dranka (1904-1991). They were married for 63 years. She gave birth to two children: daughter Krystyna Dziedzic (b. 1930) and son Jan Dranka (b. 1937). She had three grandchildren and four great grandchildren. One of her brothers, Teofil Pieta (1913-2013), lived to the age of 100.

After completing 105 years, Aleksandra Dranka began to receive considerable media interest. She celebrated her 110th birthday on 3 October 2013. On that occasion she was given wishes from the President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski, as well as from the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk. She died on 29 April 2014 at age 110 years, 208 days, as the oldest person in Poland and one of the oldest people in Europe.On 13 February 2014, her age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group thus making her the first ever confirmed supercentenarian in Poland. In the light of the current knowledge, Aleksandra Dranka was the last surviving person in Poland born in 1903, having outlived everyone born in 1904 as well. As of the present day, she remains the only validated female supercentenarian in Poland.

Aleksandra Dranka was succeeded as the oldest living person in Poland by 109-year old Jozefa Bak of Kielce, Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship.

Gallery

Aleksandra Dranka at age 5 with her younger siblings

Aleksandra Dranka at age 25 with her husband, Michał Dranka

Aleksandra Dranka in 1936 with her husband Michał Dranka and daughter Krystyna Dziedzic.

Aleksandra Dranka at age 55 (left, seated)

Aleksandra Dranka in 2010 at age 107.

References

Poland's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E)

Rozalia Obrebski • Katarzyna Kosiorowska • Stanislawa Sobecka • Marianna Tetkowska • Stefania Bartkowska • Michal Zatorski • Katarzyna Swider • Anna Lamacz • Filipina Niewiadomska • Rozalia Milczarek • Maria Basta • Rozalia Dyrcz • Katarzyna Wilkowa • Klara Spitzenfeil • Anna Wolanska • Jan Michalski • Frument Jaroszynski • Beata Bryl • Anna Tomecka • Wlodzimierz Rogosz • Jan Szarpala • Karolina Lucko • Zofia Martyniak • Maria Unijewska • Marta Piekarska • Wladyslaw Ratman • Agnieszka Wojcik • Helena Konowal • Stefania Grabala • Jozefa Mordacz • Jadwiga Zolotucho • Anna Klim • Franciszek Karwowski • Marianna Smolarczyk • Ludwika Kosztyla • Michalina Wasilewska • Wanda Wierzchleyska • Marianna Misiewicz • Jozefa Karczewska • Jozefa Stanislawa Szyda • Marianna Mroz • Aleksandra Dranka • Jozefa Bak • Ludwika Wasowicz • Jadwiga Mlynek • Jadwiga Szubartowicz • Tekla Juniewicz • Wanda Szajowska • Jozefa Ciesielska • Anna Gawlowska