Long‑time reporter Barbara Szczepuła, famed for her books on Gdańsk and Pomerania, has died, the Gdańsk City Council and her family announced.
Early Life and Education
Barbara Szczepuła was born in Tarnopol. She studied architecture at the Gdańsk University of Technology, journalism at the University of Warsaw and pursued theological studies at the Papal Faculty in Warsaw.
Journalistic Career
Szczepuła worked as a reporter, journalist, publicist and columnist for the newspaper Dziennik Bałtycki. Her writing focused on the history and culture of Gdańsk and the Pomeranian region.
Notable Publications
Her first book, Przystanek Politechnika (2004), was named best book of the year by readers of Dziennik Bałtycki. She later released Kod Hewelusza (2006), a collection of historical reports about the Free City of Gdańsk and post‑war Pomerania, and Miłość w cieniu polityki (2013), a biography of Solidarity activist Alina Pienkowska.
Awards and Recognition
Szczepuła received the Medal Prince Mściwoj II for outstanding publicistic work and bravery in addressing difficult topics of Gdańsk’s past. In 2013 she was awarded the City of Gdańsk Cultural Award Splendor Gedanensis.
Tributes and Loss
The Gdańsk City Council issued a statement expressing immense grief at her passing, citing her courage and skillful handling of sensitive subjects. Polish journalist Henryka Krzywonos‑Strycharska wrote that Szczepuła’s death was a great loss for independent Polish publicism.
