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“Interviews with rescued Swedes”

“Interviews with rescued Swedes” in the Swedish language newspaper, Nordstjernan, New York, translated by Lilly Setterdahl, Mar. 8, 2008. The reporter’s initials were G. G.

  They were Oscar Johansson from Lunna, Orust, on the way to Detroit, Mich, who had lived in the United States earlier, Oscar Hedman from Hagunda on the way to Bowen, N.D., formerly living in the U.S., Ernst Persson from Stockholm, his parents living in Julita, Södermanland, Karl Janson from Killeberg, and 14-year old Sverin Svensson from Knäred, Halland.

   Ernst Persson was one of the very last washed overboard from the sinking liner. Persson and his sister, Mrs. Strom from Indiana Harbor, Ind, and her young daughter had not come near any of the lifeboats. They had taken their places far aft on the liner, and having given up all hope of being rescued, they decided to die together. Persson held his sister’s hand and in the other he held the little girl’s. The liner sank slowly, inch by inch, foot by foot.

   All of a sudden a wave came and flushed them overboard. The suction of the sinking ship sucked them into the deep. As long as possible, Persson held fast to his sister’s hand, but finally he had to let go. At once, he began to floatup wards. He says that he had been under water at least two minutes and was very weak. He had no hope of seeing daylight. Suddenly, his head hit something hard, and the jolt gave him renewed strength. He understood that he had reached the surface and that debris stopped him from emerging. By using his last strength, he managed to free himself from the obstacle, and breathed once again. He had a lifebelt around him, which held him up. He found a floating plank and rested on it for a while. In the distance he could see a fully loaded lifeboat and began to swim toward it. When he came closer the boat capsized apruptly because so many desperate people looking for rescue clung to one side and tried to get up. Together with several others, he clung fast to the capsized lifeboat. At least 50 people tried to crawl onto the boat, but were pushed aside without mercy. Here one had to try to save ones own life without mercy to others who were pushed away. Person’s most gruesome memory was that wherever he swam, with every stroke his hands pushed against corpses with distorted faces, and they were so close that they almost made him lose his mind. When he finally was taken up by the Carpathia he had been in the ice cold water about six hours.

   Having interviewed other Swedes, the reporter returned with a few thoughts about Persson’s story, and writes. “The conversation with Person enforces my thought that no one yet could grasp what they had lived through, that the colossal severity of the disaster was not yet clear to them. When, for instance, he talked about his sister and the farewell to her, he did it slowly, dully, and absent mindedly like in a medicated daze. It was the same with the others. Will they grasp the horrible reality once they come out of their trance?  At the Emigrant Home, they have since they arrived received the best of care, and all that could be done for them has been done in all respects to make it as pleasant for them as possible.

Translation of paragraph about Titanic survivor,printed in Swedish in Claes-Göran Wetterholm’s book, Ttianic, published in Sweden in 1996

Ernst Ulrik Persson, 25

  Born Jul 29, 1886, portvakt (porter or gate keeper) lived and worked at  Holländargatan 4, Stockholm. He was married had two young sons. He traveled from Stockholm to Indiana Harbor, Indianapolis. According to the American Senate list he was on his way to 3546 La Salle Avenue, Chicago. He received $75.00 from the Women’s Relief Committee in New York. Whether he received any restitution is unknown.

  Ernst Persson was born in Julita, Sörmland (province of Södermanland), but resided in Stockholm. He had bought tickets for the whole family, but they decided that he should leave ahead of his family. Persson instead accompanied his sister, Elna Ström and her daughter, who were on the way to Elna’s husband, William Ström in Indiana Harbor. Thus the American Senate list could be right in that she was going to come with his sister to Indiana Harbor, and then heading to Chicago.  When Persson came up on deck with his sister, all the lifeboats had left the Titanic and they went as far aft as they could. At around 2:15 they were on poop deck. The ship then made a severe lurch, and Persson lost Elna and Selma, who had held his hands, and was thrown into the water. He saved himself into the water-filled lifeboat. In New York, he was taken to the Swedish Lutheran Immigrant Home. His brother-in-law William Ström then came to New York and accompanied him to Chicago, where they arrived 27 April.