Marcus Michael Schwarcz, always known as ‘Max’, was born in Budapest, Hungary, on the 30th May 1863, the son of Leopold and Cacilie Schwarcz (née Weisz). Nothing is known about his family or early life, but he immigrated to the United States of America, settling in New York City. It is not exactly known when he immigrated to the United States of America as he claimed at various times it was in 1874, 1880, and 1882!
On the 20th November 1889, he married Emma Indig in Manhattan, New York City, and they had three daughters named Irene, Dorothea and Minerva, known as ‘Minna’. The family were of the Jewish faith.
On the 1st May 1903, his wife, Emma, died, leaving Max to raise their three daughters, and by 1915, the family home was at 137, Riverside Drive, New York City.
Max Schwarcz was the founder and senior member of Max. M. Schwarcz & Company of 141, Madison Avenue, New York City, designers and manufacturers of women’s cloaks and suits. He owned 55% of the company.
He frequently travelled to Europe in connection with his business, and in the spring of 1915, his business interests again took him to Europe and as a consequence, he booked saloon return passage on the May sailing of the Lusitania from New York to Liverpool, which was scheduled to leave the Cunard berth at Pier 54 on the morning of 1st May 1915. Having boarded the vessel on that morning - with ticket number 46114 - he was escorted to his accommodation in room A24, which was the personal responsibility of First Class Bedroom Steward John Perry, who came from Seaforth, in Lancashire, further down the bank of the River Mersey from Liverpool towards the open sea.
The liner’s departure for Liverpool was then actually delayed until the early afternoon, so that she could take on board passengers, cargo and crew from the Anchor Liner Cameronia, which had been requisitioned by the British Admiralty for war work as a troop ship at the end of April. Then, six days later, on the afternoon of 7th May, the Lusitania was torpedoed twelve miles off the coast of southern Ireland by the German submarine U-20, and sank just 18 minutes later. At that stage of her voyage, she was only 250 miles from the safety of her home port.
One of the saloon passage victims of this action was Max Schwarcz, whose body was never recovered from the sea and identified afterwards. Consequently, he has no known grave. He was aged 51 years at the time of his death.
Bedroom Steward Perry, who had looked after him in room A24 was also killed as a result of the torpedoing and never saw his Seaforth home again.
On the 21st February 1924, the Mixed Claims Commission gave a decision regarding compensation to be paid to Max’s three daughters owing to the loss of their father. Mrs. Irene S. Jacobi was awarded the sum of $20,000.00, Mrs. Dorothea S. Greenbaum was awarded the sum of $25,000.00, and Miss Minna E. Schwarcz was awarded the sum of $32,000.00.
Hungary Birth Records collected by Rabbis in various counties 1789 – 1921, New York U.S. Extracted Marriage Index 1866 1937, New York Death Index 1862 – 1948, 1892 New York State Census, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 1905 New York State Census, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, U.S. Passport Applications 1795 – 1925, New York Passenger Lists 1820 – 1957, Cunard Records, New York U.S. Wills and Probate Records 1659 – 1999, Mixed Claims Commission Docket No. 262, New York Times, PRO 22/71, PRO BT 100/345, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.