Irina Constanziu-Vlassopol

Irina Constanziu-Vlassopol, born on June 19, 1900, in Iași, Romania, was the first female officer in the Romanian Merchant Navy. She defied societal norms in the 1930s by commanding a ship and navigating treacherous waters, becoming a celebrated figure among sailors and the press. Despite her remarkable achievements, including receiving medals for her service, she faced hardship later in life, working as a cleaning lady due to her bourgeois background. Irina's legacy as a pioneering woman in maritime history is still remembered, though she passed away in obscurity in 1979.