Legsteinn séra Jóns Thorsteinssonar píslarvotts

History & Background

The history of this memorial is rooted in a maritime disaster during the tumultuous year of 1914. Off the coast of Vestmannaeyjar, near a treacherous area known as 'Vestmanna Gráni,' a schooner carrying foreign seamen, both German and English, met its tragic end. The unforgiving North Atlantic claimed their lives, leaving their bodies to the mercy of the currents. However, the story does not end with the tragedy. The resilient and compassionate people of Vestmannaeyjar, following a deeply ingrained ancient custom, undertook the solemn duty of recovering the bodies of the lost sailors. They provided them with a respectful burial, ensuring that their graves were tended with care, a testament to their profound humanity and respect for the deceased, regardless of nationality. A decade later, in 1924, the significance of this local act of kindness was formally recognized. Jón Sigurðsson, then the Prime Minister of Iceland and a figure of national importance, dedicated this enduring stone obelisk. Its purpose was twofold: to honor the memory of the foreign seamen who perished and, equally importantly, to acknowledge and commemorate the 'courage and perseverance' (hugrekki og þráseð) displayed by the Icelandic islanders in their humanitarian response to the disaster.

Practical Information