Leo Zimmermann at 16 years old, being a thrumpetist at the music club at Todtmoos-Weg.
Leo Zimmermann was a farmer from the village of Todtmoos in Waldshut, in the Black Forest, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was born there on February 20th, 1883. His father was Joseph Zimmermann, a sales agent and his mother was Ludwina Wasmer. Leo had 5 brothers and 4 sisters. The family led a difficult, but peaceful life in the countryside.
Early life[]
In 1899, being 16 years old, he played the trumpet as a member of the Musikverein on the Todtmoos-Weg.
Life became tougher when in 1900 their 150 years old house caught fire and was destroyed. In 1905 Leo lost his mother Ludwina.
Two of Zimmermann's brothers, Arnold and Edwin, both labourers, had left Germany for Québec, via Antwerp in 1911. Their intended final destination was Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada and Leo, still unmarried at the time, dreamed of a better life in this new world, and decided to make the journey to join them the following year.
Titanic[]
He boarded Titanic in Southampton as a Third Class passenger and provided his destination as the home of his brother Edwin in Saskatoon. Originally he was supposed to sail on Olympic, as documents have shown, but it is unknown why he was transferred to her sister ship. Leo was 29 years old at the time.
He shared a cabin with Josef Arnold, Anton Kink, Vincenz Kink, Albert Wirz and a Bohemian man, probably Wenzel Linhart. It is presumed to be #58 on F-Deck, a cabin for 6 people.
On April 14, Titanic had struck an iceberg 20 minutes before midnight, and the 5 men were awaken and tried to escape. Sadly, only Anton Kink made it off the sinking vessel safely, while Leo and the others perished in the disaster. Zimmerann's body wasn't recovered.
After his death[]
On 4 June 1912 the Grand Ducal District Office St. Blasien informed Leo's father Josef and brother Matthäus about Leo's death. Two months after that, the family filed a claim which included a refund of the cost of his Titanic ticket, as well as demanding 8050 Reichsmark for father Joseph Zimmermann, who Leo was taking care of.
On 8 April 1913 they received their answer. The claim was denied. 805 Reichsmark for Josef was the best they could do.
His brother Arnold was still living and working as a farmer in Saskatoon in 1916.
In September 2020, more than 100 years after Titanic's foundering, the Swiss Titanic Society and the German Titanic historian Jens Ostrowski collaborated with the Todtmoos' local goverment to create a memorial plaque to remember Leo.