Mr Albert Wirz

Mr Albert Wirz, 27, a farmer, was born on 19 May 1884 at Buchholz near Uster, Switzerland. His parents were Albert Wirz and Anna Bertha Wirz-Gull. His mother died 1889 and his father remarried a Lina Maag. The younger sister of Lina, Maria, emigrated together with her illegitimate son Adolf Maag to Beloit, Wisconsin. She later married a Terrance M. Brown.

In 1912 Albert asked his aunt in Beloit to look for a job for him. He also wanted to emigrate to America.

Albert Wirz was a friend of Anton Kink and his family. They boarded the Titanic at Southampton as third class passengers. To reach his destination Beloit, Wisconsin, he bought his third class ticket from the agent: Kaiser & Cie., Basel, for 344 Swiss francs (ticket number 315154, price: £8 13s 3d).

On April 10^th he left his home. His sister Bertha, 22, accompanied him to Zürich. From there he took the train.

Albert Wirz shared a cabin together with Josef Arnold, Leo Zimmermann, Vinzenz Kink and Anton Kink.

On April 14^th they already were asleep, when they were suddenly woken by a "earthquake". Albert Wirz never had a chance to enter a lifeboat.

He died in the sinking. His body was recovered by the Mackay-Bennet on April 24^th (#131).

His body was tranferred to Beloit, it arrived there on 11 May, and was buried at the local cemetery on 12 May. His grave was till 5 September 1996 without a stone.

His aunt Maria Brown lost her job shortly after the sinking of the Titanic and travelled to New York to look for a new one. She had no luck and went back, asking the Red Cross to give her $27 for the ticket.

His father received some belongings from his sister-in-law Maria Brown. Nothing is known what became of her after 1920.

Albert's stepmother died on 10 December 1917, his father on 11 April 1939 at Uster. His family received £60 from the Titanic Relief Fund. Until November 1912 to Alberts father were paid: sFr 500 life insurance

sFr 400 luggage insurance
sFr 400 check No 6922
sFr 52.50 check No. 6154
sFr 88.05 ticket from N.Y. to Beloit
sFr 20 "head tax" prepaid
total 1460.55.

From White Star he got $440 compensation (minus $115 for attorney and embassy)

References
Günter Bäbler (1998) Reise auf der Titanic. Chronos, Zürich
Contract Ticket List, White Star Line 1912 (National Archives, New York; NRAN-21-SDNYCIVCAS-55[279])
Marriages, births, deaths and injuries that have occurred on board during the voyage (PRO London, BT 100/259-260)

Contributors
Hermann Söldner, Germany

Related Articles and Documents

Le Journal de Genève  (1912)

ON PASSENGERS FROM SWITZERLAND