Jakob Birnbaum
{{orphan|date=January 2025}}
{{Short description|Polish diamond dealer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jakob Birnbaum
| image = A newspaper illustration of Jacob birnbaum.jpg
| other_names = Jacob Bernbaun
| birth_date = August 24, 1887
| birth_place = Kraków, Austria-Hungary
| death_date = April 15, 1912 (aged 24)
| death_place = Atlantic Ocean
| body_discovered =
| occupation = Diamond Dealer
}}
Jakob Brinbaum (August 24, 1887 - April 15, 1912) was a Polish Jewish diamond dealer who died during the Sinking of the Titanic.{{Cite book |last=Behe |first=George |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=md4SDQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Jakob+Birnbaum%22+Titanic+victim+-wikipedia&pg=PT531 |title=On Board RMS Titanic: Memories of the Maiden Voyage |date=2012-02-29 |publisher=The History Press |isbn=978-0-7524-8305-4}}
Early life
Jakob was born in 1887 Kraków, Austria to Austrian Jews Jeruchim Birnbaum (1856-1931) and Theophila Cypres (1863-1946).{{Cite web |date=1998-04-09 |title=Jakob Birnbaum : Titanic Victim |url=https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/titanic-victim/jakob-birnbaum.html |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=encyclopedia-titanica.org}} Jakob moved to San Francisco, California in 1909 and established a diamond firm called Jacob Birnbaum & Co. of San Francisco.{{Cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Maev |date=2011-07-13 |title=Titanic artefacts go on display for first time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2011/jul/13/titanic-national-maritime-museum-extension |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=The Guardian|issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |date=2024-04-12 |title='Titanic': The story of the Jews on the 'unsinkable' ship |url=https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-796496 |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=The Jerusalem Post}} In 1910 he lived as a boarder in the household of Ernest and Sophie Dreyfuss at 47 West 117th Street in Manhattan, New York City.https://programminglibrarian.org/sites/default/files/resources/passenger_summary3.pdf In 1912 he traveled to a house he owned in Antwerp, Belgium on a business trip.
RMS Titanic
Jakob was originally going to return to the US at an earlier date but was persuaded to stay with his family to celebrate the Passover. After celebrating with his family, Jakob bought a first class ticket for the RMS Titanic for £26 and boarded the Titanic at Cherbourg-Octeville on April 10, 1912.{{Cite book |last=Paul |first=Gill |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HLKbEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Jakob+Birnbaum%22+Titanic+victim+-wikipedia&pg=PT82 |title=Titanic Love Stories: The true stories of 13 honeymoon couples wh |date=2011-10-24 |publisher=Ivy Press |isbn=978-1-908005-18-2}} Jakob died during the sinking and his body was discovered by the CS Mackay-Bennett and the following is a description of his:
NO. 148. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 28. - DARK HAIR.
CLOTHING - Light grey overcoat; blue pajamas.
EFFECTS - Gold glasses; gold ring marked "J. B."; 2 pairs tweezers; 2 bunches keys; 1 gold watch chain;{{Cite web |title=Pocket Watch {{!}} Royal Museums Greenwich |url=https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-388157 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=www.rmg.co.uk}} scissors; papers; nail file; 2 memo books; pocket knife; diamond solitaire tie pin; purse.
FIRST CLASS NAME - JACOB BERNBAUN, San Francisco.{{Cite news |date=April 16, 1912 |title=The Titanic's First-Class Passengers |url=https://msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1259/121/7589/pdf/d012925x.pdf |work=The Baltimore American |location=Baltimore, Maryland |pages=1 |volume=CCXII}}{{Cite book |last1=McMillan |first1=Beverly |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X1fhAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Jakob%20Birnbaum%22%20Titanic%20victim%20-wikipedia |title=Titanic: Fortune & Fate : Catalogue from the Mariners' Museum Exhibition |last2=Lehrer |first2=Stanley |date=1998 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-0-684-85710-7}}
Jakob's body was transported to and buried in a Jewish cemetery in a town Putte.