Mauritz Håkan Björnström-Steffansson (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈmaɵrɪʈs hoːkan bjœrsʈrœːm-sʈe:ffanssɔn']) (also referred to as Hokan B. Steffanson), (9 November 1883 – 21 May 1962) was a Swedish businessman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. In early 1913, Steffansson filed by far the largest claim for financial compensation made against the White Star Line, for the loss of a single item of luggage or cargo as a result of the disaster.[1]
Mauritz Håkan was born to Erik Samuel Steffansson and Berta Maria Björnström on 9 November 1883 in Österfärnebo, Sweden. His father was a pioneer in the Swedish wood pulp industry. After studying chemical engineering at the Stockholm Institute of Technology, Steffansson was awarded a Swedish government scholarship to continue his studies in Washington, D.C.[2] He became a reserve underlöjtnant in the Svea Artillery Regiment in 1904.[3]
Titanic survivor
Hugh Woolner’s testimony
On 10 April 1912, Steffansson bought a first class ticket and boarded the Titanic at Southampton (ticket number 110564, £269 111s).[4] According to the testimony of Hugh Woolner at the United States Senate Inquiry into the disaster, he and Steffansson were in the first class smoking room at the moment of impact with the iceberg. After putting on their lifebelts, the two men went on deck and began helping crew members fill the lifeboats with women and children, in what they initially believed was a precautionary exercise.
Copy (after Blondel) of painting owned by Steffansson and lost on the RMS Titanic in 1912.
Once the seriousness of the situation was understood, Woolner recounted, he and Steffansson helped the crew physically remove a number of men who had forced their way into lifeboat C, ahead of women and children. Woolner confirmed that when all the lifeboats were launched, moments before the ship finally went under, he and Steffansson took the opportunity to jump from the rails of the flooding A deck into an empty space at the bow of collapsible lifeboat D, the last lifeboat to leave the ship. Woolner and Steffansson pulled another man from the water and together, they helped to row the lifeboat away from the ship.[5]
Awards committee
After the disaster, Steffansson joined a survivors' committee which formed to award medals and a cup to the Captain, officers, and crew of the rescue ship RMS Carpathia.[6]
Compensation claims submitted to US commissioner Gilchrist in New York, in January 1913, included a submission from Björnström-Steffansson demanding $100,000 ($2.4 million equivalent in 2014) in compensation for the loss of La Circassienne au Bain, a large neoclassical oil painting by French painter Merry-Joseph Blondel. The compensation claim was the largest submitted for a single item of either passenger luggage or cargo.[1]
Later life
In 1917, Steffansson married Mary Pinchot Eno, whom he was introduced to by fellow Titanic survivor Helen Churchill Candee. In the 1920s, Steffansson made a large fortune by acquiring significant interests in Canadian paper and pulp industries, and in real estate. He was also responsible for developing significant real estate holdings in the Park Avenue area of New York into apartments and hotels. He retired in 1930.[citation needed]
Mary Björnström-Steffansson died in 1953, Mauritz Håkan in May 1962. At the time of his death, the couple's residence on East 57th Street was one of the few remaining private houses on Manhattan island. As the Björnström-Steffanssons were childless, the bulk of their fortune was left to Mauritz Håkan’s nephew Thord Steffansson.[2]
References
^ abNew York Times, Thursday 16 January 1913, Titanic Survivors Asking $6,000,000.
^ abNew York Times, Wednesday 23 May 1962, Obituary
^Sveriges statskalender för år 1915 (in Swedish). Uppsala: Fritzes offentliga publikationer. 1915. p. 254.
^Contract Ticket Office, White Star Line, 1912 ( National Archives, New York, NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55(27a)
^United States Senate Inquiry Into the Sinking of the RMS Titanic, Hugh Woolner's testimony, Day 10, Monday 29 April 1912.
^New York Times, Thursday 30 May 1912, Titanic survivors honour Captain Rostron (Full text via Encyclopedia Titanica.)
External links
Bjornstrom-Steffansson's biography at Encyclopedia Titanica
Hugh Woolner's Testimony to Senator Smith at the US Senate Inquiry
December 28, 2022
mauritz, håkan, björnström, steffansson, swedish, pronunciation, ˈmaɵrɪʈs, hoːkan, bjœrsʈrœːm, sʈe, ffanssɔn, also, referred, hokan, steffanson, november, 1883, 1962, swedish, businessman, survived, sinking, titanic, 1912, early, 1913, steffansson, filed, larg. Mauritz Hakan Bjornstrom Steffansson Swedish pronunciation ˈmaɵrɪʈs hoːkan bjœrsʈrœːm sʈe ffanssɔn also referred to as Hokan B Steffanson 9 November 1883 21 May 1962 was a Swedish businessman who survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 In early 1913 Steffansson filed by far the largest claim for financial compensation made against the White Star Line for the loss of a single item of luggage or cargo as a result of the disaster 1 Mauritz Hakan Bjornstrom SteffanssonBjornstrom Steffansson was in lifeboat DBorn9 November 1883Osterfarnebo SwedenDied21 May 1962 1962 05 22 aged 78 Manhattan New YorkNationalitySwedish AmericanOccupationBusinessmanKnown forRMS Titanic Survivor Contents 1 Early life 2 Titanic survivor 2 1 Hugh Woolner s testimony 2 2 Awards committee 2 3 Claim for lost painting 3 Later life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditMauritz Hakan was born to Erik Samuel Steffansson and Berta Maria Bjornstrom on 9 November 1883 in Osterfarnebo Sweden His father was a pioneer in the Swedish wood pulp industry After studying chemical engineering at the Stockholm Institute of Technology Steffansson was awarded a Swedish government scholarship to continue his studies in Washington D C 2 He became a reserve underlojtnant in the Svea Artillery Regiment in 1904 3 Titanic survivor EditHugh Woolner s testimony Edit On 10 April 1912 Steffansson bought a first class ticket and boarded the Titanic at Southampton ticket number 110564 269 111s 4 According to the testimony of Hugh Woolner at the United States Senate Inquiry into the disaster he and Steffansson were in the first class smoking room at the moment of impact with the iceberg After putting on their lifebelts the two men went on deck and began helping crew members fill the lifeboats with women and children in what they initially believed was a precautionary exercise Copy after Blondel of painting owned by Steffansson and lost on the RMS Titanic in 1912 Once the seriousness of the situation was understood Woolner recounted he and Steffansson helped the crew physically remove a number of men who had forced their way into lifeboat C ahead of women and children Woolner confirmed that when all the lifeboats were launched moments before the ship finally went under he and Steffansson took the opportunity to jump from the rails of the flooding A deck into an empty space at the bow of collapsible lifeboat D the last lifeboat to leave the ship Woolner and Steffansson pulled another man from the water and together they helped to row the lifeboat away from the ship 5 Awards committee Edit After the disaster Steffansson joined a survivors committee which formed to award medals and a cup to the Captain officers and crew of the rescue ship RMS Carpathia 6 Claim for lost painting Edit Main article La Circassienne au Bain Compensation claims submitted to US commissioner Gilchrist in New York in January 1913 included a submission from Bjornstrom Steffansson demanding 100 000 2 4 million equivalent in 2014 in compensation for the loss of La Circassienne au Bain a large neoclassical oil painting by French painter Merry Joseph Blondel The compensation claim was the largest submitted for a single item of either passenger luggage or cargo 1 Later life EditIn 1917 Steffansson married Mary Pinchot Eno whom he was introduced to by fellow Titanic survivor Helen Churchill Candee In the 1920s Steffansson made a large fortune by acquiring significant interests in Canadian paper and pulp industries and in real estate He was also responsible for developing significant real estate holdings in the Park Avenue area of New York into apartments and hotels He retired in 1930 citation needed Mary Bjornstrom Steffansson died in 1953 Mauritz Hakan in May 1962 At the time of his death the couple s residence on East 57th Street was one of the few remaining private houses on Manhattan island As the Bjornstrom Steffanssons were childless the bulk of their fortune was left to Mauritz Hakan s nephew Thord Steffansson 2 References Edit a b New York Times Thursday 16 January 1913 Titanic Survivors Asking 6 000 000 a b New York Times Wednesday 23 May 1962 Obituary Sveriges statskalender for ar 1915 in Swedish Uppsala Fritzes offentliga publikationer 1915 p 254 Contract Ticket Office White Star Line 1912 National Archives New York NRAN 21 SDNYCIVCAS 55 27a United States Senate Inquiry Into the Sinking of the RMS Titanic Hugh Woolner s testimony Day 10 Monday 29 April 1912 New York Times Thursday 30 May 1912 Titanic survivors honour Captain Rostron Full text via Encyclopedia Titanica External links EditBjornstrom Steffansson s biography at Encyclopedia Titanica Hugh Woolner s Testimony to Senator Smith at the US Senate Inquiry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mauritz Hakan Bjornstrom Steffansson amp oldid 1105183070, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
