The tragic story of a Swiss farmer who perished on the Titanic
One of the Titanic victims was a Swiss farmer from the town of Uster, near Zurich. An exhibition in Germany now tells his tragic story.
“It was really the ordinary fate of a simple farmer who had hoped for a better future,” explains Günter Bäbler, president of the Titanic Association Switzerland. He is referring to the tragic story of Albert Wirz from Zurich, a tale filled with hope and heartbreak.
Albert Wirz, the second son of a farming family in Uster, grew up with limited prospects for a secure future. In 1912, he therefore decided to leave the Zurich Oberland and join his aunt in America. After saving money through various jobs, he set out for the US state of Wisconsin.
From Uster to Wisconsin for CHF400
“He bought a package deal tailored specifically to him,” says Bäbler. “From Uster to Beloit, Wisconsin. Everything was included in the ticket: travel, accommodation, meals.” Wirz, then under 30, paid around CHF400 ($485) for the entire journey.
Travelling by train and ship, Wirz eventually reached the port of Southampton in the UK, where he boarded the Titanic as a third-class passenger. “Third class wasn’t allowed to mix with the other classes due to quarantine concerns,” Bäbler says. “Sometimes only a thin wall separated them, yet they never interacted.”
But Wirz’s journey ended abruptly on the night of April 14–15, when the Titanic struck an iceberg. The young man made it to the deck, but “the chances of survival in third class were very slim. The lifeboats were arranged for first and second class,” Bäbler says.
His body was later recovered from the icy North Atlantic. He still had his papers, wallet and pocket watch on him. These belongings were returned to his family in Uster and are now part of the collection at the Paul Kläui Library in the town located east of Zurich.
From Uster to Rosenheim for the exhibition
Albert Wirz was buried in Beloit, Wisconsin, in 1912. Now, his story is being revisited in detail at an exhibition in Rosenheim, Germany. For the event, Uster’s town archives loaned a number of items from Wirz’s estate, including his certificate of origin, travel document, railway ticket, pocket watch and a letter.
His wallet, however, has been on loan to the “Simply Zurich” exhibition at the National Museum in Zurich since 2023.
The connection between Uster and Rosenheim was facilitated by Günter Bäbler, who is also a board member of the Friends of the Paul Kläui Library.
First Wirz exhibition abroad
“I’ve been fascinated by the Titanic for over forty years, and the Kläui Library has always been a key part of that interest,” says Bäbler. “The documents recovered from Albert Wirz’s body after the sinking provide a unique insight into the life of an emigrant in 1912.”
He adds that Wirz’s personal effects are of international historical value. “I’m delighted they’re being exhibited abroad for the first time in Rosenheim, where they’ll be a central feature of the exhibition.”
Translated from German using DeepL/amva/sb
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