Emma Sägesser (August 16th, 1887 - May 24th, 1964) was a personal maid to Léontine Pauline Aubart and survivor of the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
Early life[]
She was born on August 16th, 1887 in Aarwangen, Switzerland. She lost her mother when she was eleven and had six siblings. Emma was often looked after by her older sister Rosa before Emma moved to Cannes in 1908. By 1912, she was working as a maid and was working with Léontine Aubart.
Léontine and her lover Benjamin Guggenheim were planning to travel on the RMS Titanic with Emma and Guggenheim's valet Victor Giglio. Before leaving Paris a friend visited Léontine. Mme. Aubart showed her new umbrella and opened it. The friend got a pale face and said superstitiously that a disaster would happen soon, Miss Sägesser should take good care of her Lady.
Aboard the Titanic[]
Miss Sägesser and Mme. Aubart boarded the Titanic as first class passengers at Cherbourg and occupied cabin B-35. On April 14th they went to bed around 11 P.M. Emma felt a little seasick, so she fell immediately asleep. Suddenly she was woken by two short bumps. She thought Titanic had stranded and stayed in bed. Mme. Aubart investigated what had happened and came back very calm and went to bed again. A while later they put coats over their nightgowns and went to Guggenheim's staterooms. He still was asleep. Guggenheims valet Victor Giglio said: "Never mind, icebergs! What is a iceberg?" The woman persuaded them to come on deck.
On the Boat Deck, they parted and Guggenheim said to Emma (in German) "We will soon each other again! It's just a repair. Tomorrow the Titanic will go on again". Emma and Mme. Aubart entered lifeboat 9. Aubart did so reluctantly because she does not want to leave her lover. Around 1:28 A.M., the boat was lowered.
After being rescued by the RMS Carpathia, Mme. Aubart had a nervous breakdown and had to be comforted by her maid. Emma sent a telegram to her sister Bertha in Paris (paid for by her employer Aubart):
| Berthe Segesser 30, Charles Baudelaire Paris Sauvée Amities Emma (Saved greetings Emma) |
Later life[]
Unfortunately it was not transmitted; the operators had to much work to do. It is not known where the two ladies resided at New York. Mme. Aubart was given money from the Guggenheims to keep her quiet. Emma and her Lady eventually went back to Europe on May 3rd, 1912 on board the Adriatic, which reached Liverpool on May 11th. From there they travelled back to Paris. Emma left Madame Aubart shortly afterwards.
In 1917, Emma lived in St. Gallen, Switzerland and moved the same year to Zürich, where she worked as saleswoman at the stores Globus and Jelmoli. In March 1926 she married Karl Ernst Arnold. Together they ran a cigar shop at 91 Kanzlei-strasse. Their address was 49 An der Schipfe, Zürich. The couple had no children. A month after the death of her husband Emma Arnold-Sägesser died on May 24th, 1964.
Portrayals[]
2012 Miniseries Titanic[]
Laurie Hagen as Emma Sägesser in the 2012 Miniseries Titanic
| “ |
And uh... who are you with?" |
” |
—Kenneth Barnes and Emma Sägesser | ||
In the 2012 miniseries Titanic, Emma Sägesser was portrayed by Laurie Hagen. She first appears as one of the servants seen in the Maid's and Valet's Saloon.
Sägesser is drinking a cup of tea while observing Kenneth Barnes and overhearing his conversation. He approaches her and asks who she is traveling with, to which she replies with a thick French accent that she is with Madame Aubart. He's curious if Madame Aubart is alone but Sägesser assures him that she obviously isnt, as she's in the company of millionaire Benjamin Guggenheim.
After the dinner, Sägesser is standing near Barnes, who wants to play a game with Mabel Watson and other servants. Watson doesn't want to as she is reading a book. Barnes cannot help himself but tease Watson by grabbing the book out of her hands and examining it before it's taken by one of the other men. The Americans valets keep throwing it around the room to one another while reading out loud that it's from Mabel's father. Barnes has had enough of the Americans' behaviour and orders them to give it back, which is also pleaded by Annie Desmond, but they continue to pass the book until one of them accidentally tears one of the pages. Barnes then returns it to Watson, who is disappointed and leaves immediately, while Sägesser worries about her and expresses regret over the incident.
In Episode 4, when the Titanic is sinking, Sägesser is panicked and with Giglio, she goes to inform Mr. Guggenheim and Mme. Aubart who share an intimate moment. Sägesser says that the ship is sinking and warns Mme. Aubart that there is no time to lose. Hearing this, Mme. Aubart is also worried and starts praying, while Sägesser helps her get dressed. Mr. Guggenheim then orders Giglio to escort Mme. Aubart and Sägesser back to their cabin.
After they are ready, they go to the Boat Deck and see lifeboat 5 being loaded by Second Officer Lightoller. Mr. Guggenheim orders Mme. Aubart and Sägesser to get into the boat immediately, leaving the gentlemen on board the ship. Emma is last seen in the background with the passengers waiting for the RMS Carpathia to arrive.