Pelagia (Slaska) Podgorska was born December 2, 1904, in the Federal Republic of Germany, the daughter of Joseph Slaska and Agnes Wienszoreszy. The family was of Polish ethnicity. During her years working on an ocean liner, Pelagia gave her height as either 5'9" or 5'10", and her weight between 165-169.
As an adult Pelagia worked as a laundress and as a stewardess on the ship known as the "Polish Titanic", the M/S Pilsudski. The elegantly appointed Pilsudski could accomodate 773 passengers and a crew of 350.The ship was in service from September 1935 to November 1939, and Pelagia made at least 36 voyages on her between 1936 and August 1939, traveling primarily between New York City and Gdynia, Poland, with a rare departure to the Bahamas and Havana, Cuba. At the outbreak of WWI in Europe, the ship was used as a troop transport and sailed under British command, being sunk by what was later assumed to be a mine field near Cape Flamborough.
Pelagia Podgorska died July 3, 1989, and was buried on Hart Island.
Sources: U.S. Social Security Death Index; U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007; New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957; Wikipedia contributors. "MS Piłsudski." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Apr. 2015. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.
