Preserving the life, career, and memory of David Tengelin (1976–2001)
The David Tengelin Sourcebook Project is a long-term archival and legacy preservation initiative established by Patric Tengelin to document, preserve, and steward the life, career, memory, and historical record of David Tengelin (1976–2001), the only Swedish citizen killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks while working on the 100th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City.
The project seeks to identify, organize, preserve, and ultimately donate historically significant materials relating to David Tengelin to appropriate museums, archives, libraries, and research institutions in the United States and Sweden.
The collection currently includes personal artifacts, photographs, memorial materials, media coverage, educational records, institutional records, and archival research. A comprehensive sourcebook is being developed to serve both as a permanent historical record and as a guide for future institutional stewardship.
This website documents the project's progress, objectives, collection structure, and intended repositories.
The David Tengelin Sourcebook Project began from a simple realization:
Memories are fragile.
Photographs fade.
Websites disappear.
Family knowledge can be lost within a generation.
Yet some lives deserve to be remembered not only by those who knew them, but also by future historians, researchers, students, and members of the public seeking to understand the people behind major historical events.
David Tengelin lived an international life that connected Sweden, the United Kingdom, Arizona, and New York City. He studied internationally, built a successful professional career, and became part of the community that worked in the World Trade Center.
His death on September 11, 2001 permanently linked his story to one of the defining events of modern history.
Over the years, the family preserved photographs, artifacts, correspondence, memorial materials, and personal recollections. Some materials have already entered institutional collections. Others remain in private custody awaiting future donation.
The purpose of this project is to ensure that these materials are preserved responsibly and made available to future generations through trusted institutions.
The project serves five primary purposes:
To create a comprehensive record of David Tengelin's life and experiences.
To preserve memories, artifacts, photographs, and personal histories that might otherwise be lost.
To prepare materials according to professional archival standards so they can be accepted and managed by long-term repositories.
To support future researchers studying September 11, Swedish-American history, migration, international education, global careers, and memorial culture.
To facilitate the eventual transfer of materials to museums, archives, libraries, and historical societies capable of preserving them indefinitely.
The project builds upon more than two decades of preservation efforts.
These efforts include:
The sourcebook serves as the central organizing framework for these activities.
The collection is organized into several major series.
Objects associated directly with David Tengelin.
Examples include:
Photographs documenting David Tengelin's life.
Examples include:
Photographs documenting remembrance activities after September 11.
Examples include:
Materials created or preserved by family members.
Examples include:
Published materials documenting David Tengelin or related commemorative activities.
Examples include:
Materials originating from schools, employers, museums, and organizations.
Examples include:
A structured collection inventory is maintained to professional archival standards.
Each item is assigned:
The collection is managed as an active archival project rather than as a personal photo archive.
The Sourcebook is intended to become the principal reference work documenting the life, legacy, and archival record of David Tengelin.
Its purpose is not simply to assemble materials, but to provide the historical context, provenance, organizational structure, and documentary framework necessary for future researchers, archivists, museums, libraries, and educational institutions to understand and evaluate the collection.
The Sourcebook is expected to:
As the project develops, the Sourcebook will be organized according to recognized archival and bibliographic practices. Particular attention will be given to citation standards, source documentation, provenance records, image credits, permissions, metadata, indexing, and long-term preservation considerations.
Both digital and printed editions are anticipated. A formal publication framework, including ISBN registration, edition control, front matter, appendices, indexes, repository information, and supporting documentation, may be incorporated as the project approaches completion.
The objective is to present repositories with a well-organized, thoroughly documented, and institutionally useful reference work rather than a simple memorial publication.
Oral history forms an important companion component to the sourcebook project.
The goal is not simply to document facts but to preserve memory.
Family members, friends, classmates, colleagues, and others who knew David Tengelin may eventually contribute recorded recollections.
Where appropriate, oral histories may be offered to participating repositories as part of the broader collection.
A dedicated oral history project is being developed separately.
The ultimate goal is not private ownership.
The ultimate goal is preservation.
For that reason, the project focuses on identifying repositories capable of ensuring long-term stewardship, responsible access, and future discoverability.
Materials may ultimately be distributed among multiple institutions according to relevance, mission, collecting priorities, and repository requirements.
The Sourcebook itself is intended to support this process by providing repositories with a structured guide to the collection, its contents, provenance, significance, and preservation history.
The project currently identifies the following institutions as primary candidates for long-term stewardship.
Additional repositories may be added as the project develops.
Current activities include:
A representative screenshot of the collection management system is provided below.
The goal is not merely to remember David Tengelin.
The goal is to preserve evidence of a life and its future discoverability.
A life that connected countries, institutions, professions, friendships, and communities.
A life that became part of history.
By organizing materials today and placing them into trusted repositories tomorrow, the project seeks to ensure that future generations will continue to have access to that history long after the original custodians are gone.
The David Tengelin Sourcebook Project is primarily based on materials already preserved within the family archive, together with publicly documented records, institutional collections, and published sources.
As the project develops, additional photographs, documents, correspondence, and personal recollections may be identified and incorporated where appropriate.
Particular interest exists in locating photographs of David Tengelin from his years in Sweden, Arizona, England, and New York, as well as materials relating to his education, professional career, friendships, and life prior to September 11, 2001.
Any materials contributed to the project are intended solely for long-term historical preservation, archival documentation, educational research, and potential inclusion within the Sourcebook and designated institutional repositories.
The project is not collecting materials for public online publication.
Contributors will be consulted regarding permissions, attribution, restrictions, and preferred levels of access before any material is incorporated into the collection.
Individuals who may possess relevant photographs, documents, or information are welcome to make contact.