Objekt des Monats
Jedes Objekt in der Sammlung des Deutschen Auswandererhauses erzählt eine ganz persönliche Auswanderungs- oder Einwanderungsgeschichte. In dieser Rubrik stellen wir Ihnen jeden Monat ein anderes Objekt vor – eine Fotografie, ein Dokument oder ein persönliches Erinnerungsstück.
February 2020
Seafaring book from the year 1903
On the occasion of February 9th, the Day of Toothaches
Historical Context
The crew of a German passenger steamer in the 19th and early 20th centuries also included a barber. Heinrich Sengebusch took care of the hair and beard grooming of the passengers and crew in this role, and often carried out minor medical dental treatments as well.
Short Biography of Heinrich Julius Ferdinand Sengebusch
Heinrich Julius Ferdinand Sengebusch was born on October 11, 1855, in Greifenberg in present-day Poland as the son of a needle master. As a young man, he learned the barbering trade and found employment with Norddeutscher Lloyd in Bremen. From 1873, he regularly sailed from Bremerhaven across the Atlantic to New York. In 1885, Heinrich finally emigrated to the USA with his future wife Elise to study dentistry at the Dental Department of the University of Maryland. After Heinrich successfully graduated, they returned to Bremerhaven. On October 1, 1891, he opened a dental practice there and advertised his American training to attract patients. However, they did not come. By November 1892, Heinrich was once again sailing on ships of Norddeutscher Lloyd and practicing as a barber at sea. During the crossing of the ‘Kaiser Wilhelm II’ from New York to Genoa, Italy, he encountered the American writer Mark Twain, who was suffering from severe toothaches. Heinrich relieved him of his pain and, as a thank you, received a first edition of the book ‘The Million Pound Bank Note’ with a personal dedication from the author:
‘Farewell, Truly Yours, Mark Twain, May ’93.’
Heinrich served as the barber for the North German Lloyd until the First World War. He passed away after a serious illness on June 23, 1923, at the age of 67.
Significance of the object
Official documents are an indispensable part of migration and an important source for its research. For example, maritime books contain personal information, notes about activities on board, the earnings received for those tasks, and the ships navigated. From this, both the identity and journeys of the holder, as well as those of individual passenger ships, can be deduced. At the same time, the maritime book of Heinrich Sengebusch from 1903 is also a personal keepsake from Gisela Burkhardt of her great-grandfather, who relieved the world-famous writer Mark Twain of his toothache.
Do you also …
… have a migration story from your family to share and would like to pass it along with the relevant objects and documents to the German Emigration House for its collection? If so, please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau at 0471 / 90 22 0 – 0 or via email at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de
Archive: Previous Objects of the Month
Show all objectsDo You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de