August Wennerström

Who was August Wennerström?

August Wennerström was a Swedish journalist, typographer, and socialist activist who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Born on April 24, 1884, he gained notoriety for his political publications and later emigrated to the United States, where he started a new life after his harrowing experience aboard the ill-fated ship.

Early Life and Political Activism

A Socialist Voice in Sweden

Born as August Edvard Andersson to Knut Andersson and Elna Månsdotter, Wennerström grew up to become a vocal socialist in Malmö, Sweden. His most notable achievement in his homeland came in 1905 when he published “Gula Faran” (The Yellow Danger), a controversial paper that earned him the nickname by which he would be known thereafter.

Wennerström’s publication described King Oscar II as the “King of thieves,” a bold move that did not sit well with Swedish authorities.

The audacious content of “Gula Faran” led to its confiscation and subsequent legal charges. Although Wennerström was ultimately acquitted, the experience likely contributed to his decision to emigrate in 1912.

The Journey to America

A New Identity and a Fateful Voyage

In 1912, at the age of 27 (twenty-seven), Wennerström decided to leave Sweden for a new life in America. To conceal his identity, possibly due to his controversial past, he made a clever choice:

• Purchased a ticket in Copenhagen
• Adopted the name of his friend, Ivar Vennerström (later Sweden’s Minister of Defense)
• Changed the spelling to “Wennerström” with a ‘W’

This decision would inadvertently save his life, as it led him to board the Titanic at Southampton for his transatlantic journey.

Life Aboard the Titanic

Wennerström’s experience on the Titanic was marked by camaraderie with fellow Swedish passengers. He shared a cabin with other Swedes traveling via Esbjerg, including:

• Carl Olof Jansson
• Gunnar Isidor Tenglin

Little did they know that their shared accommodation would soon become a footnote in one of history’s most tragic maritime disasters.

The Night of April 14, 1912

Heroism Amidst Chaos

When the Titanic struck the iceberg, Wennerström’s actions revealed his character. He first ensured the safety of some Swedish girls by taking them to the lifeboats. Then, in a display of courage, he returned to the steerage section.

Wennerström witnessed heart-wrenching scenes of resignation and bravery:

“One of our friends, a man by the name of Johan Lundahl who had been home to the old country on a visit and was going back to the United States said to us, ‘Good-bye friends; I’m too old to fight the Atlantic.’ He went to the smoking room and there on a chair was awaiting his last call. So did an English lady; She sat down by the piano and, with her child on her knee, she played the piano until the Atlantic grave called them both.”

The Struggle for Survival

As the ship sank, Wennerström found himself in the midst of a desperate struggle for survival:

1. Met Alma Pålsson and her children, trying unsuccessfully to save two of them
2. Joined Edvard and Elin Lindell in a group of steerage passengers on the Boat Deck
3. Slid down the increasingly steep deck towards Collapsible A
4. Climbed into the boat after the ship went under
5. Attempted to save Mrs. Lindell but lost her to the freezing waters

Rescue and Aftermath

The Grim Reality of Survival

Wennerström’s account of his time in Collapsible A is chilling:

“All the feeling had left us. If we wanted to know if we still had legs (or any other part) left, we had to feel down in the water with our hand. The only exercise we got was when someone gave up hope and died, whom we immediately threw overboard to give the live ones a little more space and at the same time lighten the weight of the boat.”

A New Beginning in America

After his rescue, Wennerström’s life took several turns:

• Quartered at the Salvation Army’s cadet school in New York
• Created controversy by accusing the Lutheran immigrant home of embezzlement
• Received $25 and a train ticket from the Salvation Army committee
• Obtained $100 from the Red Cross
• Met Namoi Johnson, a woman of Swedish origin, at the Salvation Army in Chicago
• Moved to Culver, Indiana, where he became a gardener
• Married Namoi and had seven children

Legacy and Final Years

August Wennerström’s life after the Titanic was one of relative quiet compared to his earlier years. He passed away on November 22, 1950, at the age of 66 (sixty-six). His final resting place is at the Masonic Cemetery in Culver, Indiana (section 4, Row 20).

Wennerström’s journey from controversial socialist publisher to Titanic survivor and finally to a family man in Indiana encapsulates a life of adventure, survival, and ultimately, peace. His firsthand account of the Titanic’s sinking remains a valuable historical record, offering insights into one of the 20th century’s most infamous disasters.