Michel Navratil
Encyclopedia
Michel Navratil was a passenger on the RMS Titanic who died when the ship sank.
in 1880. He later moved to France
, and finally settled, in 1902, in Nice
. He married Italian
-born Marcelle Caretto on May 26, 1907, and their two sons were born in Nice: Michel Marcel Navratil
(born June 12, 1908) and Edmond Roger Navratil (born March 5, 1910). Michel Sr. and Marcelle separated in early 1912. Some factors which may have led to the separation include Michel Sr.'s failed attempt to open a tailor shop, and an alleged extramarital affair on Marcelle's part. Marcelle was given custody of the two children in the separation.
, and sailed to England
, where they stayed at the Charing Cross
Hotel in London
for a period of time. Michel Sr. purchased three second-class tickets for the RMS Titanic, boarding under the assumed of name Louis M. Hoffman with his two sons, Michel Jr. (or Lolo, a diminutive of Louis) and Momon (a diminutive of Edmond). He told other passengers that he was a widower, and that he was taking the boys to America. He rarely let them out of his sight, but at one point during the voyage, he allowed a Swiss girl, Bertha Lehmann, to watch them while he played a card game.
On the night of the sinking, Michel Sr., helped by another passenger, dressed his sons and took them to the boat deck. "My father entered our cabin where we were sleeping. He dressed me very warmly and took me in his arms. A stranger did the same for my brother. When I think of it now, I am very moved. They knew they were going to die," Michel Jr. recalled. The boys were put into Collapsible D, the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship. Michel Sr. perished in the sinking.
His body was the fifteenth recovered by the Mackay-Bennett. Among the possessions on his person was a loaded revolver. Because he had used a Jewish surname on his ticket, on May 15, 1912, his body was interred in the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery in Halifax.
A book, "Les Enfants du Titanic", was written in 1982 by Élisabeth Navratil, granddaughter of Michel Navratil, telling the story of Michel and his two sons, and of their unfortunate adventures on the Titanic.
Early years
Michel, Sr., was born in Szered, Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
in 1880. He later moved to France
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
, and finally settled, in 1902, in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
. He married Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-born Marcelle Caretto on May 26, 1907, and their two sons were born in Nice: Michel Marcel Navratil
Michel Marcel Navratil
Michel Marcel Navratil, Jr. , was one of the last survivors of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. Michel, along with his brother, Edmond Navratil , were known as the Titanic Orphans, having been the only children rescued without a parent or guardian...
(born June 12, 1908) and Edmond Roger Navratil (born March 5, 1910). Michel Sr. and Marcelle separated in early 1912. Some factors which may have led to the separation include Michel Sr.'s failed attempt to open a tailor shop, and an alleged extramarital affair on Marcelle's part. Marcelle was given custody of the two children in the separation.
RMS Titanic
Michel Sr. was granted visitation rights with Michel Jr. and Edmond during Easter break in 1912, but failed to return them to their mother at the designated time. Michel and his sons escaped France via Monte CarloMonte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
, and sailed 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 stayed at the Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
Hotel 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...
for a period of time. Michel Sr. purchased three second-class tickets for the RMS Titanic, boarding under the assumed of name Louis M. Hoffman with his two sons, Michel Jr. (or Lolo, a diminutive of Louis) and Momon (a diminutive of Edmond). He told other passengers that he was a widower, and that he was taking the boys to America. He rarely let them out of his sight, but at one point during the voyage, he allowed a Swiss girl, Bertha Lehmann, to watch them while he played a card game.
On the night of the sinking, Michel Sr., helped by another passenger, dressed his sons and took them to the boat deck. "My father entered our cabin where we were sleeping. He dressed me very warmly and took me in his arms. A stranger did the same for my brother. When I think of it now, I am very moved. They knew they were going to die," Michel Jr. recalled. The boys were put into Collapsible D, the last lifeboat successfully launched from the ship. Michel Sr. perished in the sinking.
His body was the fifteenth recovered by the Mackay-Bennett. Among the possessions on his person was a loaded revolver. Because he had used a Jewish surname on his ticket, on May 15, 1912, his body was interred in the Baron de Hirsch Cemetery in Halifax.
A book, "Les Enfants du Titanic", was written in 1982 by Élisabeth Navratil, granddaughter of Michel Navratil, telling the story of Michel and his two sons, and of their unfortunate adventures on the Titanic.