Michel Marcel Navratil
Encyclopedia
Michel Marcel Navratil, Jr. (June 12, 1908 – January 30, 2001), was one of the last survivors of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Michel, along with his brother, Edmond Navratil (1910-1953), were known as the Titanic Orphans, having been the only children rescued without a parent or guardian. He was the last male survivor of the Titanic.
, a tailor and Slovakian immigrant to France, and Marcelle Caretto, an Italian, who had married in London
. Michel had a younger brother, Edmond Roger Navratil, who was born on March 5, 1910.
The marriage was troubled, and in early 1912, Michel
and Marcelle separated. Marcelle was awarded full custody of their two children. Marcelle allowed her sons to stay with their father over the Easter
weekend; however, when she went to collect them, they had disappeared. Michel had decided to emigrate to the United States
and to take his children with him. After a brief stay in Monte Carlo
, the three traveled to England
where they boarded the RMS Titanic.
Michel, his brother, and his father boarded the RMS Titanic at Southampton, England on April 10, 1912, as second-class passengers. For the journey, the elder Navratil assumed the alias 'Louis M. Hoffman', and the boys were booked as 'Loto' and 'Louis'. On board the ship, Navratil led passengers to believe that he was a widower. He let his sons out of his sight only once, when he allowed a French-speaking woman, Bertha Lehmann, to watch them for a few hours while he played cards.
After Titanics collision with an iceberg, at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, M. Navratil placed Michel and his brother in Collapsible D, the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship. Michel, although not quite four years old at the time, later claimed to remember his father telling him: "My child, when your mother comes for you, as she surely will, tell her that I loved her dearly and still do. Tell her I expected her to follow us, so that we might all live happily together in the peace and freedom of the New World." The elder Navratil died during the sinking, and his body was recovered by the rescue ship, CS Mackay-Bennett. In his pocket was a revolver. Because of his assumed Jewish surname, Mr. Navratil
was buried in Baron de Hirsch Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery, in Nova Scotia
.
While in Collapsible D, Michel was fed biscuits by first-class passenger Hugh Woolner. When the rescue ship RMS Carpathia
arrived at the scene, Michel and his brother were hoisted to its deck in burlap sacks. Since the two children were toddlers and spoke no English
, they could not identify themselves and were soon referred to as the Titanic Orphans. French-speaking first-class passenger Margaret Hays cared for the boys at her home until their mother could be located, which occurred as a result of newspaper articles including their pictures. Marcelle sailed to New York City, New York and was reunited with her sons on May 16, 1912. She took her children back to France
aboard the RMS Oceanic
.
Michel later recalled his memory of the Titanic:
and later:
to mark the 75th anniversary of the sinking. It was his first visit to the United States
since 1912. The following year, Michel joined ten fellow survivors at a Titanic Historical Society
convention in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1996, Michel joined fellow survivors Eleanor Shuman
and Edith Haisman
on a cruise to the location of the wreck, where attempts were made to bring a large portion of the ship's hull to the surface. Before his return to France
, Michel traveled to Nova Scotia
to see the grave of his father for the first time.
Michel lived the remainder of his life in Montpellier, France. He died on January 30, 2001, at the age of 92.
Early life
Michel Marcel Navratil was born on June 12, 1908 in Nice, France to Michel NavratilMichel Navratil
Michel Navratil was a passenger on the RMS Titanic who died when the ship sank.-Early years:Michel, Sr., was born in Szered, Kingdom of Hungary in 1880. He later moved to France, and finally settled, in 1902, in Nice...
, a tailor and Slovakian immigrant to France, and Marcelle Caretto, an Italian, who had married in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Michel had a younger brother, Edmond Roger Navratil, who was born on March 5, 1910.
The marriage was troubled, and in early 1912, Michel
Michel Navratil
Michel Navratil was a passenger on the RMS Titanic who died when the ship sank.-Early years:Michel, Sr., was born in Szered, Kingdom of Hungary in 1880. He later moved to France, and finally settled, in 1902, in Nice...
and Marcelle separated. Marcelle was awarded full custody of their two children. Marcelle allowed her sons to stay with their father over the Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
weekend; however, when she went to collect them, they had disappeared. Michel had decided to emigrate to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and to take his children with him. After a brief stay in Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, the three traveled to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where they boarded the RMS Titanic.
Aboard Titanic
After Titanics collision with an iceberg, at 11:40 p.m. on April 14, 1912, M. Navratil placed Michel and his brother in Collapsible D, the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship. Michel, although not quite four years old at the time, later claimed to remember his father telling him: "My child, when your mother comes for you, as she surely will, tell her that I loved her dearly and still do. Tell her I expected her to follow us, so that we might all live happily together in the peace and freedom of the New World." The elder Navratil died during the sinking, and his body was recovered by the rescue ship, CS Mackay-Bennett. In his pocket was a revolver. Because of his assumed Jewish surname, Mr. Navratil
Michel Navratil
Michel Navratil was a passenger on the RMS Titanic who died when the ship sank.-Early years:Michel, Sr., was born in Szered, Kingdom of Hungary in 1880. He later moved to France, and finally settled, in 1902, in Nice...
was buried in Baron de Hirsch Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery, in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
While in Collapsible D, Michel was fed biscuits by first-class passenger Hugh Woolner. When the rescue ship RMS Carpathia
RMS Carpathia
RMS Carpathia was a Cunard Line transatlantic passenger steamship built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson. Carpathia made her maiden voyage in 1903 and became famous for rescuing the survivors of after the latter ship hit an iceberg and sank on 15 April 1912...
arrived at the scene, Michel and his brother were hoisted to its deck in burlap sacks. Since the two children were toddlers and spoke no English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, they could not identify themselves and were soon referred to as the Titanic Orphans. French-speaking first-class passenger Margaret Hays cared for the boys at her home until their mother could be located, which occurred as a result of newspaper articles including their pictures. Marcelle sailed to New York City, New York and was reunited with her sons on May 16, 1912. She took her children back to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aboard the RMS Oceanic
RMS Oceanic (1899)
RMS Oceanic was a transatlantic ocean liner, built for the White Star Line. She sailed on her maiden voyage on 6 September 1899 and, until 1901, was the largest ship in the world...
.
Michel later recalled his memory of the Titanic:
and later:
Career
Michel attended college and in 1933 married a fellow student. He went on to earn a doctorate and became a professor of philosophy. Throughout his life, Michel maintained that his brush with death at such a young age, coupled with the loss of his father, strongly influenced his thought processes.Later life and death
In 1987, Michel travelled to Wilmington, DelawareWilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
to mark the 75th anniversary of the sinking. It was his first visit to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since 1912. The following year, Michel joined ten fellow survivors at a Titanic Historical Society
Titanic Historical Society
The Titanic Historical Society, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in 1963, whose purpose is the preservation of the history of the famous ocean liner RMS Titanic, which sank on April 15, 1912, in one of the greatest maritime disasters in history.Headquartered in Indian Orchard,...
convention in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1996, Michel joined fellow survivors Eleanor Shuman
Eleanor Ileen Johnson
Eleanor Ileen Johnson Shuman was one of the last remaining survivors of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912.-Early life:...
and Edith Haisman
Edith Brown
Edith Eileen Haisman was one of the last remaining and oldest survivors of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in April 1912...
on a cruise to the location of the wreck, where attempts were made to bring a large portion of the ship's hull to the surface. Before his return to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Michel traveled to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to see the grave of his father for the first time.
Michel lived the remainder of his life in Montpellier, France. He died on January 30, 2001, at the age of 92.