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Benjamin GuggenheimAmerican entrepreneur
Date of Birth: 26.10.1865
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Benjamin Guggenheim
Benjamin Guggenheim was an American entrepreneur who tragically died in the 1912 sinking of the Titanic. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, the fifth of seven children of mining magnate Meyer Guggenheim and his wife Barbara Myers. In 1894, Benjamin married Florette Seligman, the daughter of prominent merchant James Seligman. They had three daughters together.
Business and Personal Life
Following his father's death, Benjamin inherited a substantial fortune. Unfortunately, this wealth did not have a positive impact on his relationship with his wife, as his business required him to spend a significant amount of time away from home. Benjamin even acquired his own residence in Paris. On the Titanic, he was traveling with his mistress, French singer Léontine Aubert, his valet Victor Giglio, his chauffeur René Pernot, and Aubert's maid Emma Sägesser. Benjamin's ticket, number 17593, cost him £79 4s (or according to other sources, £56 18s 7d). He and Giglio occupied cabin B82, while Aubert and Sägesser were in B35, and Pernot stayed in an unknown cabin in second class.
The Titanic Disaster
At the time of the ship's collision with an iceberg, Benjamin and his valet were peacefully asleep. They were awakened by Aubert and Sägesser, who felt the impact of the collision. The valet remained calm upon hearing the news, but eventually managed to wake Benjamin and convince him to dress. One of the stewards instructed the businessman to put on a life vest and a warm sweater, then sent him with the valet and the ladies to the lifeboat deck. The women found places in the lifeboats relatively quickly. At that moment, Benjamin remained calm and optimistic about the situation. However, he soon realized that he would not be able to board a lifeboat because of his gender. Despite this realization, Benjamin did not panic. Together with his valet, they returned to their cabin, changed into evening attire, and proceeded to the ship's main staircase. Benjamin is attributed with the quote, "We are dressed in our best and prepared to go down like gentlemen." He also sent a message through one of the survivors to his wife, stating, "Tell my wife, if it should happen that my secretary and I both go down, that I played the game out straight from the shoulder to the end. No woman shall be left aboard because of Ben Guggenheim's cowardice." The last time Benjamin and his valet were seen, they were sitting in chairs near the main staircase, enjoying brandy and cigars.
