Agatha/Agathe (Schwarz) Wagenbauer was born December 30, 1904, in Hadersleben, Denmark, to German parents. She came to the United States at the age of 17, arriving July 6, 1922 on the ship Bayern, having traveled 3rd class from Hamburg, Germany to New York City, on a journey that took fourteen days.
Four years later, on November 22, 1926, she married August Wagenbauer in Manhattan, New York. He had also emigrated from Germany to New York City, arriving in 1925 on the ship Lutzow. He was born July 29, 1900, and in July of 1926, while still single, had declared his intent to become a citizen of the U.S. In 1933, he petitioned for naturalization, including his wife, Agatha, in his desire to relenquish allegiance to the "German Reich." The couple was then living at 28 E. 63rd Street in New York City.
Agatha returned to Germany several times once she was a "married housewife." The end of May 1928 she traveled between Bremen, Germany and New York City on the Deutschland. At that time she was described as being "5"4', with fair complexion, brown hair, and brown eyes.
In 1930 the couple was living on 34th Street in Queens, New York. August was working as a waiter in a hotel. Later that same year, in August, Agatha again traveled to Germany, returning from Bremen to Astoria, New York, "touristenklasse" on the ship Stuttgart. On almost the same dates, August was returning from Rotterdam to New York City working his passage as a crew member on the SS Statendam. (This may have been the couple's way of affording travel to visit family in Europe, and at this time August stated that his mother was still living on Romerstrasse in Munich.) August was described on ship records as, "5'10", with blond hair and grey eyes." He gave his home address as 3160 5th Ave., Astoria, Long Island.
The 1940's found Agatha and August living at 33-54 28th Street in Long Island City. August had advanced in his career, now working as a "headwaiter in a hotel." On April 29, 1941, Agatha received her U.S. citizenship.
Agatha traveled to Europe once more, this time as a "U.S. citizen", in October of 1948, returning to New York City from Antwerp, Belgium on the Continental. She was still living at the 28th Street address, the longest the couple had settled in one place.
They were still living in Long Island City when August Wagenbauer died in December of 1970.
Agatha Wagenbauer died March 4, 1980, and was buried on Hart Island.
Sources: U.S. Social Security Death Index; Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934; Bremen, Germany, Passenger Lists Index, 1907-1939; New York, Naturalization Records, 1882-1944; New York, New York, Marriage Index, 1866-1937; New York, Passenger Lists, 1820-1957; New York, Index to Petitions for Naturalization filed in New York City, 1792-1989; U.S. Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995; www.libertyellisfoundation.org.
