Dr Max Stähelin-Maeglin

Dr. Max Staehelin-Maeglin, 32, a lawyer, was born on 18 February 1880 in Basel, Switzerland. In 1907 he became director of the Swiss Trust Co. (Schweizer Treuhandgesell-schaft) founded by the Swiss Bankverein. He and his wife Martha lived at 24 Marschalken-strasse, Basel, Switzerland. He had to leave Switzerland for New York, because a company - Arnold B. Heine & Cie. - was in trouble and had to be subsidised. This firm had an office in New York and Dr. Staehelin wanted to visit it.

He boarded the Titanic as first class passenger at Southampton. He held ticket number 13214, price £30 10 s. It was provided by his agent: Kaiser & Cie., Basel for 770.95 Swiss francs. He occupied cabin B-50.

On sunday evening (April 14th) Max Staehelin-Maeglin, Maximilian Frölicher-Stehli and Alfons Simonius-Blumer sat in the first class smoke room and played cards until shortly after 11 pm. Around 11.30 pm they went to their staterooms. Just about to undress Max Staehelin felt a deep sounding roll, that began with a slight thrust. He asked a steward outside what has happened, but the reply was: nothing. He fully dressed and went upstairs. At 0.50 am he entered lifeboat 3 together with Alfons Simonius-Blumer. Later they rowed to keep warm. He was rescued by the Carpathia and brought to New York.

In New York he was awaited by Dr. Hans Winterfeldt. Together with Alfons Simonius- Blumer Staehelin he went to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. They visited the Heine Co. and travelled back to Europe on 7 May 1912 on board the Victoria Luise.

In 1928 he became president of the Swiss Bankverein. He followed Léopold Dubois who followed Alfons Simonius. As president he served till 1944, when he became pesident of the Swiss multi CIBA. In 1956 he retired as president.

His wife Martha died in October 1955. Dr. Max Staehelin-Maeglin died on 3 August 1968. He was buried on 7 August in Basel, Switzerland.