Ingvar Enander

Who was Mr Ingvar Enander?

Mr Ingvar Enander was a 21 (twenty-one) year-old Swedish passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on December 26, 1890, Enander was a second-class passenger traveling to the United States with his fiancée and her brother. Tragically, he lost his life in the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, leaving behind a poignant story of love, ambition, and unfulfilled dreams.

Early Life and Family

A Merchant’s Son

Ingvar Enander was born into a respectable Swedish family. His father, Axel Wilhelm Enander, was a wholesale dealer born on February 3, 1854, in Borås, Älvsborg’s County. Ingvar’s mother, Hilda Elisabeth (née Bohle), was born on February 19, 1858, in Gothenburg and had worked as an inspector for children in foster care since 1903.

The Enander family resided at Olivedalsgatan 1, Gothenburg, Sweden. Ingvar’s parents had married on February 11, 1885, and he had one older brother, Einar, born on November 20, 1886, in Örgryte, Sweden.

The Journey to a New Life

Why was Ingvar Enander on the Titanic?

Ingvar Enander boarded the Titanic at Southampton with grand aspirations for his future. He was accompanied by his fiancée, Dagmar Bryhl, and her brother, Kurt Bryhl. The young couple’s primary purpose for this transatlantic voyage was twofold:

Ingvar planned to continue his studies in the United States
The group intended to join the Bryhl’s uncle, Oskar Lustig, at 511 Pearl St. Rockford, Illinois

Interestingly, Kurt Bryhl played a crucial role in their journey. As neither Ingvar nor Dagmar had mastered English, Kurt, who was emigrating to America, acted as their interpreter.

Titanic Ticket Details

Class: 2nd Class
Ticket Number: 236854
Fare: £13

The Fateful Night

What happened to Ingvar Enander during the Titanic disaster?

On the night of April 14-15, 1912, when the Titanic struck an iceberg and began to sink, Ingvar Enander faced the same perilous situation as many other passengers. Despite the chaos and terror of those hours, Ingvar did not survive the sinking. His body was never identified, adding to the tragedy of his loss.

A Father’s Desperate Search

In a heartbreaking attempt to locate his son’s remains, Ingvar’s father wrote a detailed description of the clothes and possessions his son had with him on the Titanic:

Ingvar wore a blue jacket dress and a grey Ulster. He carried a penknife with mother-of-pearl handle, watch with golden chain, wallet and tickets, and a box with valuables. He had placed Dagmar’s red slippers into his Ulster pocket.

This poignant list not only provides insight into the fashions of the time but also reveals the personal touches that made Ingvar’s journey unique, such as carrying his fiancée’s slippers.

Legal Aftermath

Why couldn’t the Enander family sue White Star Line?

In the wake of the disaster, many families sought legal recourse against the White Star Line, the company that owned and operated the Titanic. However, the Enander family faced an additional tragedy: they failed to sue White Star until it was too late. This oversight meant that they were unable to seek any form of compensation for their devastating loss.

Legacy and Remembrance

While Ingvar Enander’s life was cut tragically short, his story serves as a poignant reminder of the many individual tragedies that made up the larger disaster of the Titanic. His tale of young love, ambition, and the pursuit of education in a new land resonates more than a century later, embodying the hopes and dreams of many who embarked on that fateful voyage.

Today, Ingvar Enander is remembered not only as a victim of one of history’s most infamous maritime disasters but as a symbol of the countless stories of potential and promise that were lost beneath the cold Atlantic waters on that April night in 1912.