(edit title) Sinking of the Titanic April 1912 How many Swedes died? Options

[Uglybetty66]

On 15th April12012 it will be hundred years since the Titanic sunk in the North Atlantic. According to some sources 20-26 swedish people died mostly from the steerage class. I have been reading the 'Rough guide to Sweden' which claims that several hundred swedish people drowned. Does any know how many swedish really died. I have the same problem with the 19c famine. according to some sources one million -a quarter of the population of Sweden (said to be four million) emigrated to North America- and other sources claim that 1/5 of the population emigrated. Who is right?
Does anybody know how many people from other European countries excluding Ireland which is well documented, emigrated as a result of famine ?

[AW1]

Titanic:
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/titanic.html

Emmigrated to the US:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_emigr...e_United_States

[*Trowbridge H. Ford*]

Think the Great Famine losses of a million plus is right.

How many emigrant to America from the rest of Europe because of it, I doubt few if any at all. They had their own problems, as the revolutions of 1848 demonstrated.

Doubt many Swedes were on the ship, certainly not hundreds.

Can there be anything more macabre than the centenary celebration, with some of the passengers on board this new ship, dressed in appropriate regale?

Just shows how depressed everyone is, reviewing even disasters.

Conditions are bound to get better.

[byke]

With all due respect, that was not the answer I was expecting from you.

[skogsbo]

I think its highly unlikely that high a percentage were Swedish.
Trow, yes it's a bit odd to kind of celebrate death or disaster.

[jack sprat]

http://www.titanicuniverse.com/titanic-100...ail-in-2012/507

Ship just left Southampton to do an absolute replica/repeat of the Titanics voyage.

I only hope a collision with an iceburg has been excluded from the itinery.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

Due to connection problems, I have not been able to post this as first copy...hard to repeat original feelings...so here is the less articulate version!
GH

I would like to add to this thread:

The tragic loss of the Titanic sinking was shared by peoples worldwide...the 1509 (?) victims came from various backgrounds and countries, they deserve our remembrance.

On June 15, 1904, the General Slocum an excursion boat caught fire and was grounded(sank)with a loss of 1021 lives, in the East River of New York City.

There is a plaque about a six minute walk from my home, that tells of that event...it is mostly passed by and ignored...because it it not a "prominent" display.

The Slocum disaster got a little publicity when it was compared to "9/11" it was then the "second" largest loss of life in New York's history.

The people were from the same church organization!

The people were from the same neighborhood!

The congregation just lost life after that!

The were German Lutherans, mostly women and children, on an outing, that led to disaster...and forgetfulness!

To lose that many people in one day and from the same place...should never be forgotten, that can't be compared to the Titanic...and it shouldn't!

Yet nobody remembers!...the USA has fought the German people, twice since then, and well...remember 1984...excrement happens!

That's a damn shame!

Unfortunately...there are more ship wreck horrors around the world that are not remembered...why?

Lost link ...you Google it!

GH

[Richie35]

Just in case any of you are thinking of going to the Titanic Exhibition in Belfast, don't, I was there with my wife and kids this weekend and it's 2 hrs of my life I will never get back. Very badly organised and run. Staff were friendly but that was as good as it got...

[entry]

On June 15, 1904, the General Slocum an excursion boat caught fire and was grounded(sank)with a loss of 1021 lives, in the East River of New York City.. GH

The 1904 Slocum disaster was very interesting GH. The North/South Brother Islands where the disaster happened was never considered by myself as part of the east river but part of the long Island Sound. I grew up in Astoria where my mother's Austrian(German Lutheran) family moved to in 1912. While I am aware of many ship wrecks in the treacherous waters of the Hells Gate the story of the Slocum disaster escaped me and I found reading on the subject very informative. There seems to be quite a lot of scandal associated with the disaster.

BTW: GH not that I have any plans of going back to America any time soon, but where is that plaque memoriolizing the Slocum disaster that you speak of?

The loss of life is tragic. In June the water is cold, real cold, I know from experience. I as a kid swam illegally from the same shores of the Hells gate at the same points that were designated beaches a generation or two prior to myself. As a matter of fact I was informed as a child that certain swimming areas were posted as BA between certain hours. That meant that men would swim in the water BA(bare a@@ed) during those times. Let me tell you, there were quite a few blushed faces and giggles when the teacher verbally actually said bare @ss in the classroom. Ladies were encouraged to avoid the area but the ladies that told me these stories did so with a smile and indicated that they picnicked on the hills above with the explicit plan of having a lunch with what they thought a rather pleasant view. The East river is not a true river but a tidal inlet that has water from the Hudson bay and the Long Island sound crashing about with the ebb and flow.. The casual observer can regularly see whirlpools. Like myself, the daring individuals that cooled themselves off on hot summer days must have been strong and confidant swimmers. The currents can be very strong at times. This brings me back to the Slocum disaster that you mentioned. At that time, swimming was not a skill that was as common as it is today. Even so, in June in the East River the water is cold and the currents are vicious.

[It has been suggested that the manager of the life preserveriron bars inside the Cork preservers to meet minimum weight requirements at the time. Managers of the company (Nonpareil Cork Works) were indicted, but not convicted. Many of the life preservers had been filled with cheap and less effective granulated cork and brought up to proper weight by the inclusion of the iron weights. Canvas covers, rotten with age, split and scattered the powdered cork. manufacturer actually placed] http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/563362

The old orange life preservers we had as kids an"d seldom used were heavy cumbersome and all but useless did actually have a positive buoyancy unlike the life preservers provided the non-swimmers on the fateful Slucum "3 hour tour, 3 hour tour sorry O_o".

I participated in several University History projects in that area and very much enjoyed reading old newspapers regarding the tragic Slocum disaster just North of my old neighborhood back in America.

Excellent find GH!!!

[Puffin]

There is a passenger list of the Swedes on the Titanic on this site
http://www.titanicnorden.com/enter.html

However I think it includes both Swedes and Swedeis/US citizens that had been visiting Sweden prior to departure

Most were people emmigrating to the US in the big emmigration rush of the late 1800s/early 1900s - hence most travelling in 3rd klass

[Jamtjim]

I just stumbled across this on the BBC's website and it appears to answer some of the OP's questions.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17274655

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

"BTW: GH not that I have any plans of going back to America any time soon, but where is that plaque memoriolizing the Slocum disaster that you speak of?"

@ entry,
The plaque is located on an iron railing by the river, on a road known a Shore Parkway, and/that is part of Astoria Park.

It's a miserable little thing and quite unnoticeable, when you consider it represents the loss of so many people.

As an aside there were tales of "so called" local rescuers demanding payment to be pulled out of the water...rings, jewelry would be accepted. Horrible!

What was left of the congregation moved to a section of New York known as Yorkville which was a very big German community then, the church was located on East 88st...and again about a two minute walk from where I used to live. ...Indeed it's a small world.

The confluence of the East River and Long Island Sound has been said to exist there, but it is farther north, around the Throgs Neck Bridge.

If you use Google Earth you can locate both areas pretty easily.

Don't come back! America is ruined!...Too many immigrants! X 3!!!!!!!!!

[entry]

@ entry,. The plaque is located on an iron railing by the river, on a road known a Shore Parkway, and/that is part of Astoria Park.

No Joke. Ha. Must be part of what is called New Park, north of Ditmars, I imagine. LOL, I am going to have to ask my Grandmother about this. I still have family in Astoria(my mom took Latin at Bryant, rest her soul).

Don't come back! America is ruined!...Too many immigrants! X 3!!!!!!!!!

I remember watching the Italian hot dog push carts turn into souvlaki push carts on the streets of Astoria. Back in 2004 when my wife and I traveled there we went on Steinway and sat in a hookah bar. Things change.

[Gamla Hälsingebock]

How many will sign up for it's "Maiden Voyage"???

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-f...story?track=rss