Erwin Kreuz mistook the city of Bangor, Maine for San Francisco, California. He emigrated to the U.S. in early 1979, now at his own expense and accompanied by little fanfare. He returned the following month to promote an American shopping mall, but was likely the final straw as he was fired from his job. He died in a car accident in 2009.
About Erwin Kreuz in brief
Erwin Kreuz was a West German tourist to the United States who achieved international celebrity status in the late 1970s. He mistook the city of Bangor, Maine for San Francisco, California. The incident made Kreuz a folkloric figure whose story continues to be told in various media as an iconic example of an airline traveler not reaching their intended destination. Kreuz’ lingering celebrity cost him his job, but bristled when he asked for compensation beyond his laborer’s salary for an interview with the West German press. Hoping to find a job on his return to West Germany, he was disappointed and emigrated to the U.S.
in early 1979, now at his own expense and accompanied by little fanfare. He returned the following month to promote an American shopping mall, but was likely the final straw as he was fired from his job of 9 years when he returned to Germany. He died in a car accident in 2009. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, a son, and a daughter-in-law. He was buried in a German-themed cemetery in Old Town, Maine, near the town where he was staying when he mistook Bangor for San Francisco. He had no idea he was in a suburb of the metropolis until a taxi driver explained to him that it was a 3,000 mile journey.
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This page is based on the article Erwin Kreuz published in Wikipedia (as of Feb. 03, 2021) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
